DaRon Bland to undergo surprise foot surgery as Cowboys' injury curse continues

Not to downplay Sam Williams' season-ending knee injury, but the Dallas Cowboys have done well to avoid a rash of devastating injuries in training camp and preseason. However, that run of luck ended in the form of a bellowing gut punch right before kickoff of Saturday's preseason finale.

Per reports, star cornerback DaRon Bland will be out 6-8 weeks because of a stress fracture in his foot that will require surgery. Bland reported soreness on Wednesday during the final practice of camp. Further testing revealed the fracture.

The injury is to the fifth metatarsal of Bland's foot, per ESPN's Todd Archer, who reported that DeMarcus Lawrence missed 10 games and Dez Bryant missed six with similar injuries. However, Lawrence and Bryant's injuries were full fractures, not a stress fracture. That could hint that Bland will return sooner than expected, but it is obviously way too early to speculate.

Cowboys CB DaRon Bland out 6-8 weeks after undergoing foot surgery

This is a huge blow to the Cowboys, who now have a major void at cornerback. That doesn't take into account that Trevon Diggs is coming back from ACL surgery. While Diggs has been practicing for weeks, his reps in team drills have been limited and he hasn't played a snap in preseason.

Bland's injury will also force rookie Caelen Carson into the spotlight. A fifth-round pick out of Wake Forest, Carson has been a star in camp and preseason. He looks like the Cowboys' latest late-round steal at cornerback, but he was never expected to start Week 1 as a rookie.

Assuming Bland opens the season on IR, the Cowboys will have room to carry an extra cornerback. That could mean that both Andrew Booth and Israel Mukuamu make the roster. It could also open a spot for journeyman Kemon Hall, who registered a pick-six last Sunday against the Raiders.

Regardless, Bland's injury just encapsulates the Cowboys' brutal injury luck at the cornerback position. Despite being blessed with numerous elite CBs in their history, they seemingly can never field two healthy studs at the same time.

Last year, Diggs went down after Dallas traded for Stephon Gilmore to form the best cornerback group in the NFL. In 1995, both Deion Sanders (nine games) and Kevin Smith (one game) suffered injuries. They won the Super Bowl anyway, but the point stands. In 2005, Anthony Henry missed time while paired with Terence Newman. It's a recurring theme in the franchise's history.

While Bland may only miss the first month of the season, it's fair to be concerned of the domino effect his absence has on the secondary.

How good is Bland when he gets back? Is Diggs ready for a full workload? Is Carson ready for the moment? These are worrisome thoughts with the Week 1 opener just two weeks away.

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