A defense that ranks 31st in EPA per play allowed is not going to be fixed overnight. Forget overnight, there might be no saving this Dallas Cowboys defense. Marked improvements might not come until midseason, but Matt Eberflus can still make tweaks to the scheme and personnel that help curtail the weekly hemorrhaging.
Whatever the case, something has to be done. The Cowboys are on pace to be one of the worst defenses in franchise history, right up there with the nightmarish 2020 and 2013 seasons.
It will help to get some players back from injury, and DaRon Bland is seemingly on track to suit up against the Packers on Sunday night. Speaking to reporters, Eberflus didn't confirm whether Bland would play, and if he does, he declined to comment on whether he'd start in the nickel. The last part might hint at a seismic personnel decision.
Cowboys DC Matt Eberflus teases a potential big personnel change in Week 4
Bland started in the nickel in Week 1 before his injury, playing a team-high 24 snaps in the position while playing all 62 defensive snaps, per PFF.
Reddy Steward has since stepped in and has been the team's best cornerback, and it's not particularly close. Steward's 72.1 coverage grade is the best on the team and ranks 29th out of 158 cornerbacks, per PFF. Most importantly, he's only allowing 7.7 yards per reception. He is also 11th at the position with six defensive stops, which speaks to his willingness to defend the run.
Cowboys fans should be buying stock in Steward, and he absolutely deserves to continue starting when Bland returns. That would send one of Trevon Diggs or Kaiir Elam to the bench. At that point, it's a matter of "pick your poison" for Eberflus, as both players have been dreadful.
Diggs is allowing an incomprehensible 27.8 yards per catch, which is the most in the league. He's also allowed the second-highest passer rating at 153.3, and an NFL-worst 26.4 average depth of target.
Elam's 209 yards allowed are the fourth-most among CBs. He's tied for the fourth-most receptions allowed with 14, while failing to record a forced incompletion or pass breakup. Only eight corners have allowed a higher passer rating than Elam's 137.5.
Diggs has been worse, but that isn't saying much. He'll probably get the edge over Elam because of his salary and pedigree if it comes to that. He still isn't playing a full complement of snaps, though, so it's not like Elam wouldn't see the field.
While picking to start Diggs or Elam is a coin flip, keeping Steward in the slot and having Bland overtake one of the outside spots should be a no-brainer for Eberflus.