Inside The Star
The Cowboys duo of DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs is one of the team’s most important pairings on the roster; the only problem is, it seems we can never get them on the field at the same time.
Fortunately for Dallas, that won’t be the case this week.
The news broke late last night that while both remain questionable on the injury report, the Cowboys are expecting both Bland and Diggs to go against the Panthers.
It will mark the fourth game they’ve played together this season, and hopefully, the most impactful one yet.
While the two have shared the gridiron this year, we have yet to see either at their true full potential. Will today be the day that changes? Could we see a Cowboys cornerback interception for the first time in 2025?
That’s what we’re here to talk about.
For Bland, the recently paid former fifth-round pick, this will be his third consecutive game played. To this point, injuries have largely shaped his season; both his foot and shoulder have been banged up so far.
This consecutive games played streak, however, could be a sign that the tide is finally turning for the former All-Pro.
When Bland has played, whether from injuries or a general “decline,” it hasn’t been worth the $92M the front office just extended to him. He ranks 123rd out of 169 eligible cornerbacks on PFF, and he hasn’t recorded an interception in nearly 650 days.
That DaRon Bland interception was his ninth of the season, most in the NFL. Bland also has 14 career interceptions, tied with Trevon Diggs for the most by a Cowboys player in his first two seasons. Only Everson Walls (18) has more.
— Dallas Cowboys Public Relations (@DallasCowboysPR) January 7, 2024
He deserves a pass on some level because of the slew of injuries he’s had, but at some point, we have to see the ball-hawking playmaker we saw in 2023.
This could be the game where that side of Bland finally peaks through the curtains.
Diggs’ 2025 has been a whirlwind, to say the least.
Following extensive knee surgery in January, organizational concerns arose regarding his rehab, which led to his return sooner than expected. Additionally, a public back-and-forth with the media ensued regarding his early-season playing time.
Now, after playing 100% of snaps for the first time last week, it seems we may finally get past all of that noise and nonsense.
The $97M man, who Dallas could cut this offseason, has yet to be credited with a pass defensed this year, let alone an interception. As a matter of fact, his last INT came just over 11 months ago in a blowout loss to the Eagles.
When Dallas paid him, they weren’t envisioning what Diggs has given them, but there is still time to turn things around.
With his health starting...
