Dallas Cowboys Re-Up CB Daron Bland with 4-Year Deal

Cover photo credit: Gareth Patterson, Associated Press.

The Dallas Cowboys may have traded away their franchise defensive player this past week, but on Sunday Jerry Jones agreed to terms on an extension with one of the team’s top performers. The deal is an important step for the team in securing their future at the cornerback position. 

Daron Bland, whose four-year, $3.9 million rookie deal was set to expire next spring, re-signed with the Cowboys on Sunday for four years at $92 million. The deal, which includes a $22 million signing bonus, keeps the cornerback in Dallas until 2030. 

Termed “an elite cover corner” by head coach Brian Schottenheimer (via Mike Fisher’s latest), Bland led the NFL in 2023 with nine interceptions. Of those picks, five were returned for touchdowns. That number is an NFL record. Bland as a rookie in 2022 recorded five interceptions. 

The 26-year-old is the team’s top corner heading into the 2025 season - which kicks off with the Cowboys visiting the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday in Philadelphia - as two-time pro bowler Trevon Diggs (11 interceptions in 2021) continues to make his way back to game action after suffering a knee injury last season. Diggs played 11 games last season and two in 2024. The cornerback was moved off the Physically Unable to Perform list last week and wants to play in Thursday’s opener, though that probably will not happen. 

With Bland, the Cowboys lock up one of their best players with a needed long-term deal especially with the Micah Parsons’ trade last week that gave the Cowboys $42 million in salary cap space, second only to the New England Patriots’ $52 million. Two-time pro bowl guard Tyler Smith, 24 years of age, is signed through the 2026 season and according to ESPN’s Todd Archer, the Cowboys have already had talks with the guard on an extension. George Pickens, also 24 years old, is on his rookie deal and is a free agent after this upcoming season.  If he were to re-sign as well, the Cowboys would with him and CeeDee Lamb (26 years old) have one of the league’s best receiving duos locked in for the future. 

For now though, the Cowboys have done Bland, securing a key piece as the team moves into an era without its best player. There is no replacing Parsons, but the Bland deal and potential deals for Smith and Pickens can help the Cowboys build a well-rounded roster.