Where DaRon Bland plays could determine how good the Cowboys cornerback group is in 2024

What are your expectations for DaRon Bland in 2024?

Last season, the cornerback group of the Dallas Cowboys was an exciting one thanks to a trade that brought a seasoned All-Pro to the unit that already featured two rising star corners. Trevon Diggs was the team’s young star, but he was joined on the outside by a proven veteran, Stephon Gilmore. Add DaRon Bland in the slot who was coming off a strong rookie season and suddenly there was a lot to like about this starting group. The team also had the veteran Jourdan Lewis as insurance and the youngster Eric Scott Jr. who they liked so much that they traded in the draft to get him. This was a promising unit.

Sadly, Diggs was lost for the year early in the season when he suffered a knee injury. The rookie Scott wasn’t ready and never saw any action. Even former third-round draft pick Nahshon Wright offered next to nothing despite it being his third year in the league.

While dark clouds formed, the unit still produced bright moments. Gilmore was as good as advertised, showing that age is just a number as he was a solid player all season long. Speaking of solid, Lewis, who some wondered if he would even make the final roster, had one of his best years as a pro. But the real surprise was Bland who was forced to play on the outside replacing Diggs, where he shockingly set the NFL single-season record with five interceptions returned for a touchdown en route to an All-Pro season.

This season, the strength of the Cowboys cornerback group is unknown. Gilmore hasn’t signed anywhere so it’s not clear if he will be back. Considering how frugal the front office has been, none of us are holding our breath for his return. And while Diggs will be back, what type of player he’ll be following knee surgery last year adds a bit of mystique. There are a lot of questions about this group, but how good they end up being could come down to where they deploy Bland this season. There are two possibilities.

Bland on the outside

Last year, this option made some of us nervous. We had a good sampling of how well he played the slot, but how would he fare on the outside? Now, we know he can do it. In this scenario, Diggs and Bland handle the boundaries while Lewis mans the slot. Lewis is a proven slot corner. He’s typecast into this role not just because of how well he plays there, but also because of how well he does not play on the outside. Lewis is small and doesn’t have the makeup speed to hang on the outside, but he’s really good for the first three seconds. Lewis has good quickness and is an instinctive closer. He’s a physical player and plays his best with short area bursts near the line of scrimmage.

The downside of this scenario is that even though Bland was sensational at times on the boundary, he did have some struggles too. You could see him get grabby or lose separation when trying to stay with well-executed routes. The good stuff overshadowed the bad, but there were times he had issues and for this reason, it’s a less-than-ideal scenario to keep him on the boundary. He has shown he can fill in if needed, it’s just not his strength.

Bland in the slot

Because of how solid Lewis is in the slot, it may seem like a better use of resources to keep Bland on the outside so the team has their most experienced corners on the field. However, if Bland is selected to play the slot, it means better things for the Cowboys’ defense. First, Bland is better in the slot. He has greater length and is faster so when he closes he can cover a lot of ground. Receivers will appear open only to have Bland fire across and undercut the route.

But for Bland to be playing the slot, that means someone else is playing the outside. While Gilmore is the preferred option, we are all curious to see how fifth-round rookie Caelen Carson does in camp. The traits this corner possesses could be an interesting piece of the puzzle. He’s a smart player who reads the field well. He has good size to press at the line of scrimmage and disrupt routes. Unlike Bland who’s a sit-back-and-lurk corner, Carson is a sticky defender who plays with a lot of physicality. His draft cost might lower people’s expectations, but don’t be surprised if he works himself into a meaningful role right away. The potential is there.

The perfect scenario would be if Carson performs well and can be trusted to handle work on the boundary. The rookie would receive help over the top, but that leaves Diggs and Bland to play their positions of strength. Lewis would be an insurance policy if the rookie isn’t ready, and that would cause Bland to pivot, but if the Cowboys end up hitting on another late-round corner, this young secondary will be good for years to come.