With DaRon Bland headed for injured reserve, Trevon Diggs could see the field this Sunday.
The Dallas Cowboys’ secondary is on life support, as the unit has struggled in recent weeks and likely just lost Daron Bland for the season, who is expected to have surgery on his left foot.
With Bland out for the season and the Cowboys being incredibly thin at cornerback, the return of Trevon Diggs can’t come soon enough. Diggs has yet to take the field this season as he recovers from knee surgery done in January, but Dallas designated him to return from injured reserve on November 30, and it sounds like his season debut is imminent.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer provided an update on Diggs’ status on Friday, stating that the veteran corner has had a good week of practice, and Friday will determine if he’s ready to get back in action.
“Mr. Diggs is having a very good week. We’ll see how he does today, but I’ll say this: When you look at Trevon this week, what I’ve loved the most about him is he’s having fun playing football. He’s smiling, running around, but to his credit, he’s having a really good week. So we’ll see how today goes,” Schottenheimer said via Tommy Yarrish of DallasCowboys.com
Though nothing is official just yet, Diggs seems to be trending in the right direction and could play in his first game in over a year on Sunday versus the Los Angeles Chargers.
Troy Aikman criticizes Jerry Jones’ meddling with DC Matt Eberflus, Cowboys coaching staff – SportsDay Staff, Dallas Morning News
The Hall of Famer didn’t pull any punches when talking about the boss in Big D.
Troy Aikman seems to be growing tired of Jerry Jones’ way of managing the Cowboys’ coaching staff.
In an interview on 96.6 FM/1310 The Ticket (KTCK-AM), Aikman was asked about the future of Matt Eberflus as Dallas’ playoff hopes have faded. Jones even amplified the pressure on Eberflus with some pointed comments this week.
It’s safe to say Aikman isn’t surprised, but he still wants to hear from someone other than Jones on the matter.
“As far as Matt Eberflus, the only one I’ve heard comment on that is Jerry Jones,” he said. “And I’d like to hear what Brian Schottenheimer has to say about it. I’d rather, in fact, it be Brian Schottenheimer who’s talking about, we’re going to evaluate over the next three weeks, not only the defensive coordinator, but all of the coaching positions, and then make a decision on what he wants to do, as opposed to what the general manager wants to do.
“So that’s concerning to me. It’s not a surprise to anybody, but I would rather be hearing from Brian Schottenheimer as the head coach as far as what his staff may or may not look like a year from now.”
The Cowboys operate very differently from other teams around the NFL. Jones’ involvement in decision-making is well-documented, especially considering his comments on Eberflus’ future.
DaRon Bland among two Cowboys out for season; seven questionable vs. Chargers – Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The Cowboys will be making a lot of game-time decisions this weekend on the availability of their players.
The Dallas Cowboys are clinging to the smallest of chances of sneaking into the postseason (less than 1 percent odds), but they have been insistent this week on doing everything possible to win the remaining three games on their schedule, regardless of draft position or resting starters.
However, the team was dealt a blow to that agenda on Friday, as All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland will miss the remainder of the season with an injury to his left foot.
”This was a lingering one,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “At the end of the day, when we got it imaged, it was like, ‘OK, there’s something there.’ That’s why we’re doing it.”
Bland missed 10 games in 2024 after needing surgery on his fifth metatarsal in his left foot, the same foot that is giving him issues now. He has been recommended for surgery once again, but Bland is seeking a second opinion to see if that’s what he will need before returning to the field in 2026.
“It’s one of those things that happen with this type of procedure,” Schottenheimer said. “Talked to DaRon about it, obviously he’s disappointed. He won’t have a chance to finish the season with us, but we feel great that he’s going to recover and be fine.”
Cowboys’ circumstances open the door, this maligned rookie needs snaps – Reid D Hanson, Cowboys Wire
Jaydon Blue may get an opportunity to show something in the final weeks of the season with the current injury situation with the Cowboys.
After losing the last two games that individually qualified as “must-win,” the Dallas Cowboys have effectively played themselves out of the playoff picture. While the slimmest of slim chances remain, it’s a number that falls smaller than one percent making it a dream no right-minded person would seriously entertain. The lost hope of the postseason opens the door to wild possibilities in the remaining three games of the regular season. One player who could walk through that door is Cowboys’ rookie running back, Jaydon Blue.
Drafted in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft, Blue was a fan favorite from the start. Blessed with elite game-breaking ability that translates to the running and passing game, Blue brought speed and a hometown smile to a Cowboys team in desperate need of a running back to replace the recently departed Rico Dowdle.
As fortune would have it Dallas found their replacement to Dowdle early in camp, it just wasn’t the addition everyone thought it would be, rather it was the veteran free agent pickup, Javonte Williams. At no point did Blue challenge Williams for the RB1 spot and as summer training camp unfolded, the rookie quickly fell out of favor with the Cowboys’ coaching staff.
Through 15 weeks this season Blue has only been active for four games. In that time, he’s logged 22 rushing attempts for 65 yards on a paltry 3.0 yards/carry average. Dallas’ success rate when handing Blue the rock has been just 36.4 percent, making him one of the least effective playmakers on the roster, thus explaining why he hasn’t been active since October.
High 5: Five positions to evaluate over the final games – Kyle Youmans, DallasCowboys.com
Keep an eye on these positions during the last three games.
5. Running Back – Entering 2026, both Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders (Injured Reserve) are the only two running backs with expiring contracts. Williams has already shown his ability to carry the load as a lead back in the Cowboys’ offense, and the front office has already shown interest in bringing him back for 2026.
However, that means Jaydon Blue, Malik Davis and Phil Mafah are all under contract next season despite seeing limited reps throughout the year. Mafah, appears to be on his way back from the injured reserve list and could see his first regular season action. While Blue and Davis have shared turns being in and out of the lineup this season, with Davis earning most of the touches down the stretch. All three of these names will continue to see their tape dissected from a possible increased workload over the final three weeks.
4. Linebacker – Dallas has invested at least one NFL Draft pick over the last five years to the linebacker position, yet they fail to have a clean outlook on the group. Rookie Shemar James has shown some promise this season, while Marist Liufau and DeMarvion Overshown have each been serviceable at times throughout the year. With Liufau’s performance being a tough read with his constant in-and-out.
Unfortunately, the rest of the room has struggled to find a foothold in either the system or the playing time. Logan Wilson has been limited in his snaps, while Kenneth Murray has seen multiple missteps go viral online. With a solidified defensive tackle group, there are fewer excuses now than ever for a lack of solid linebacker play. Meaning this group could be in for an overhaul if their performance doesn’t improve down the stretch.
3. Edge Rusher – Once the deepest position on the roster just a few short seasons ago, has now become a group of solid contributors without one over-the-top mismatch on the roster. Rookie second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku has lived up to the expectations in his debut season but could use a full NFL offseason to help his skillset grow. But he could also use a running mate.
With names like Jadeveon Clowney, Donte Fowler, Sam Williams, and Payton Turner (Injured Reserve) all finishing up a contract year with the team, Dallas must decide who is worth bringing back to the room. It may depend on how the Cowboys front office views certain edge rushers on the free agent market or in the NFL Draft. Both are a possibility when it comes to adding talent to the position and beginning to build around Ezeiruaku and a strong interior defensive line.
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