The Dallas Cowboys made big news on Sunday by locking up All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland with a four-year, $92 million contract extension. The deal comes just days after the team shocked the NFL world by trading top star defender Micah Parsons.
In a deal that makes Bland the sixth highest-paid cornerback in the league, the Cowboys lock down one of the anchors in their secondary. Selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Bland made his mark in the league in 2023 with nine interceptions, including an NFL record five pick-sixes.
A mid-round gem from that draft, the contract is deserving for a player who worked his way as one of the best cornerbacks in the league, which was highlighted in head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s praise of Bland following the contract news.
"I'm so happy for him," Schottenheimer said of Bland. "Just the way he's worked. Shot onto the scene a couple years ago and made an immediate impact as a rookie playing nickel and doing things like that. To see him a couple years after that with all the pick-sixes. I'm so happy for him and his family. … He's such a humble young man. But so well-deserved. He's one of those guys that you love him as a teammate, you love him as a competitor. Doesn't say much, but, man, he gives you everything he's got."
Higher expectations
Now that he got the big money, the expectation for Bland is to continue outplaying his draft position. With Parsons gone, there will be more emphasis on the secondary to be more than solid. With Bland and Trevon Diggs anchoring the defensive backfield at the corner positions, the Cowboys look set for years to know, now that Bland has been extended.
Again, with Parsons gone, the spotlight will really be on Bland and company to make it hard on opposing quarterbacks and make them hold the ball a little longer. Although he didn’t have as dominant a season in 2024 due to injury, 2025 should be a big bounce back year for a cornerback who has earned the money.
2022 NFL Draft rewind: Where Bland ranks amongst top drafted corners
Speaking of earning the money, NFL Mocks looks at where Bland ranks amongst cornerbacks selected in that 2022 NFL Draft. In total there were 36 cornerbacks selected in the draft with four going in the first round. Those first round picks were Derek Stingley Jr. (No. 3 overall), Sauce Gardner (No. 4 overall), Trent McDuffie (No. 21 overall) and Kaiir Elam (No. 23 overall).
Other notables from that draft were Andrew Booth Jr., Marcus Jones and Christian Benford. While Elam has not lived up to expectations, the trio of Stingley Jr., Gardner and McDuffie have played like first rounders. Benford and Bland are two mid-round picks who have turned into top corners for their teams. In ranking Bland, it’s hard not to put him in the top 3 ahead of Stingley Jr. (based on production) with Gardener and McDuffie ranked No. 1 and No. 2.
As far as contract goes, Gardner signed a four-year, $120 million contract extension in the offseason with an annual value of $30.1 million. That marked him the highest paid corner. Stingley Jr. signed a 3-year, $90 million deal with an annual salary of $30 million. So, Blands $23 million annual salary puts him in that mix of highest paid corners.
To note: McDuffie has yet to reach an extension, but Bland’s contract will probably get the ink ready in Kansas City. In all, a solid contract for both sides. Unfortunately for Bland it came on the backend of the team trading Micah Parsons because of not making him the highest paid at his position.