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.
DaRon Bland: Improvement Coming In 3rd Consecutive Game Played?
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.
Trevon Diggs: Another Full Snap Day Coming Against Panthers?
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 to clear up, today marks a perfect opportunity to start that revival.
The Bottom Line: It’s Time To Get What Dallas Paid For
There is no way to sugarcoat it: the Cowboys duo in the secondary has not played up to their All-Pro potential in a long time.
Poor health and bad play have plagued their seasons recently, and now both are getting paid a ton of money. It’s well past time that Dallas started seeing a better return on their cornerback investments.
While both may not be fully healthy yet, we’re certainly getting close to that, and this Panthers passing attack in Charlotte gives them a chance to play well.
The rumors about a Diggs departure won’t fade until he turns things around, and concern over the Bland extension will only grow if fans keep seeing him banged up and failing to produce interceptions; you can’t blame them either.
Dallas’s defense needs a jolt; who better than this expensive pair of cornerbacks to provide that?
