4 Cowboys players to watch in Preseason Week 3 vs. Seahawks
3. DaRon Bland, CB
DaRon Bland is anything but bland. The fifth-round pick has had a stellar offseason campaign. His only issue is that this cornerback group has a ton of talent. He stands behind Trevon Diggs, Anthony Brown, Jourdan Lewis (currently dealing with hamstring issues), and a few others.
Before Bland arrived, it was assumed that Kelvin Joseph and Nahshon Wright would battle it out for cornerback depth. However, neither of those players has had a very good preseason. Both got burned several times in the first two preseason games and seem to be playing below what was expected.
With Lewis out until at least the home opener, Bland has a real shot to make this 53-man roster if he has another great game on Friday. Hard work truly pays off as some assumed he was a long-shot to make the team back in April.
I thought #Cowboys CB Daron Bland had another nice preseason performance vs. LAC.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) August 22, 2022
He allowed just 24 yards on four targets and had two stops, according to PFF.
He gave up one longer reception of 16 yards, but still a good day overall.
Another important thing about the Fresno State product is that he has shined wherever Dallas has put him. He hasn’t just succeeded as a nickel corner. He’s also done well on the outside and inside proving his versatility.
Bland’s teammates are taking note of his impressive climb and effort. Here’s what Diggs had to say about him in Oxnard:
"“He’s been amazing throughout camp. You can see that everything is starting to slow down for him and he can just play, and make the plays. He’s got all the talent in the world. He’s having a great camp and I’m just excited to see where he goes.”"