Stephen Jones drops cryptic update on DaRon Bland contract talks

The Dallas Cowboys have already experienced more than enough drama when it comes to the Micah Parsons extension talks this offseason (drama that they've kind of created themselves), but what about cornerback DaRon Bland?

Like Parsons, Bland is heading into the final year of his contract, and like Parsons, it doesn't seem like any progress has been made in negotiations.

Well, Cowboys CEO Stephen Jones was asked about how things were going on the Bland front, and he provided a rather cryptic response that is sure to irk the fan base.

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“We don’t talk about it publicly,” Jones said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “If they want to talk about their business they can. It’s not fair for me to talk about other players’ business.”

Dallas Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones at training camp at the River Ridge Fields. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

So then I guess reporters should just go and ask Bland?

Here's the thing with the Cowboys: they typically do end up extending their most important players. They did it with Dak Prescott. They did it with CeeDee Lamb. They also did it with Trevon Diggs once upon a time. Heck, they just did it with Jake Ferguson.

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Taking all of those things into consideration, chances are that Dallas ultimately will come to terms with Parsons unless the front office angers him to the point where he doesn't even want to play for the Cowboys anymore (which may actually be a possibility).

What about Bland, then? The question is whether or not Dallas actually feels Bland is important enough to sign to an expensive long-term deal, and that's debatable. Yes, he had a historically great campaign in 2023, but could have been a mirage.

Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (26) and quarterback Dak Prescott (4) eat turkey legs after the Cowboys victory. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Cowboys are already strapped for cash as it is, so while failing to strike a pact with Parsons would be a gut punch, it would not be surprising if they actually did allow Bland to test free agency, especially with the cornerback market continuing to balloon.

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