Cowboys Defender Ripped in Rankings of Every NFL Team's Starter Entering 2026

Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland did not fare well in an analyst's rankings of every CB1 in the NFL.

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Daron Bland returns an interception for a touchdown against the Washington Commanders | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys once looked to have a budding superstar in cornerback DaRon Bland, but things has changed drastically in recent years.

Bland has not been able to match his level of play from his first two years in the NFL, with the former fifth-round pick surrendering a completion rate north of 60% and a passer rating above 103 in each of the past two seasons.

Making matters worse, Bland, who is entering the first year of his four-year, $90 million contract, simply hasn't been able to stay healthy.

Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland celebrates a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The ex-Pro Bowler has missed 15 games in that span because of persistent foot issues, and that's one of the last issues any team wants to see its cornerback go through.

Because of his issues, Bland is just one question mark of many on the Cowboys' defense, and he's one of the reasons why Dallas desperately needs to add more help at cornerback.

DaRon Bland ranked among worst CB1s

Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland during training camp at the River Ridge Fields | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Just to give you an idea of how far Bland has fallen since 2024, NFL analyst John Frascella ranked him as the No. 27 CB1 in the league.

That might be a bit excessive, but we don't think it's too far off with how poorly he has played the past two seasons.

Frascella’s CB1 Rankings for all 32 NFL teams:

1. Broncos: Patrick Surtain
2. Seahawks: Devon Witherspoon
3. Texans: Kamari Lassiter
4. Eagles: Quinyon Mitchell
5. Rams: Trent McDuffie
6. Patriots: Christian Gonzalez
7. Panthers: Jaycee Horn
8. Bears: Jaylon Johnson
9.… pic.twitter.com/MnFD5wLcSB

— John Frascella (Football) (@NFLFrascella) April 2, 2026

The Cowboys can only hope Bland's struggles are connected to his injury woes and that he'll improve with better health.

Cowboys' plan for DaRon Bland in 2026

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

While many thought the Cowboys would opt to use Bland more in the slot, where he has typically played better, head coach Brian Schottenheimer revealed the team hopes to play him on the outside this coming season.

"At the end of the day, we'd love to have a guy that allows us to keep DaRon on the outside," Schottenheimer said to reporters while at the NFL owners meeting this week.

Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer mentioned the nickel spot when asked about needs on defense.

He expands on that point here and mentions that the plan is to keep CB DaRon Bland on the outside.

“We feel like he can shut down a side of the field.” pic.twitter.com/lJOZlAcwyz

— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) March 30, 2026

If it won't be Bland in the slot this season, the Cowboys' current in-house options for that spot include free-agent signings P.J. Locke, Cobie Durant and Jalen Thompson.

Of course, Dallas could also opt to bring in a new slot cornerback via the 2026 NFL Draft, although a rookie offers zero guarantees.

Putting Bland outside also creates a scenario in which Shavon Revel could be left on the outside looking in if Dallas drafts a cornerback with one of its first-round picks, which is a very possible scenario.

But with the way Bland has played the past two seasons, we wouldn't say he's totally safe in that scenario, either, if Revel manages to step up and outperform him during the season.