Cowboys Lock Up Cornerstone CB DaRon Bland with Four-Year, $92 Million Extension

The Dallas Cowboys made a decisive move to secure the future of their secondary, reaching a four-year, $92 million extension with cornerback DaRon Bland. The deal includes $50 million guaranteed and will pay Bland an average of $23 million per year, making him the sixth-highest paid cornerback in the league.

For Dallas, the timing is crucial. Getting the extension finalized before the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles ensures stability in a secondary that has been tested by injuries. For Bland, it was exactly the resolution he had been waiting for after steady negotiations throughout training camp.

Bland’s journey to this moment has been anything but conventional. A fifth-round pick in 2022 out of Fresno State, he wasted no time proving his worth as a rookie with five interceptions and 54 tackles in just eight starts. His sophomore year in 2023 was historic, as he set an NFL record with five interceptions returned for touchdowns and earned both All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.

In 2024, Bland’s season was interrupted by a stress fracture in his foot during training camp, limiting him to just seven games. Even so, he managed 41 tackles, a forced fumble, and five passes defended. Now fully recovered, Bland enters the 2025 season determined to reestablish himself as one of the league’s premier defensive backs.

“I feel like I’m pretty adjusted into it now,” Bland said when asked about playing both the slot and outside corner. “It’s really about gelling everything together inside and outside, and showing I can do both.”

The Cowboys value that versatility. With Trevon Diggs working his way back from injury, Bland’s ability to move seamlessly between the slot and the outside provides Dallas flexibility and depth in the secondary.

By locking in Bland through 2029, the Cowboys ensure that one of their most dynamic young defenders remains at the heart of their defense. For a franchise that has often struggled to keep its homegrown stars, this extension is a clear signal: Bland is not just part of the present, but a cornerstone for the future.