FRISCO, Texas -- When you think of what the Dallas Cowboys defense has been during their three consecutive 12-win seasons from 2021-2023, one thing immediately stands out: takeaways.
The Cowboys led the NFL across the last three seasons in that department with 93 with the Buffalo Bills' 87 standing as the next-closest figure. In that same span, Dallas' 313 points of turnovers led the league by a margin is wide as the Grand Canyon: the New England Patriots (263) and the Green Bay Packers (246) are the next-closest teams to the Cowboys in that metric the past three years. The 2024 season hasn't been as bountiful for Dallas, sitting at 3-2. They have just five takeaways in five games, tied for 15th in the league while their three points off turnovers are tied for dead last in the league.
A huge driver to that success in 2023 is a player who has yet to take the field for the Cowboys in 2024: 2023 first-team All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland. Bland led the NFL with nine interceptions, including an NFL single-season record five pick sixes last season after moving to the outside following two-time Pro Bowler Trevon Diggs tearing his ACL in Week 3. He's been absent for the first five weeks of the 2024 NFL season after suffering a stress fracture in his foot during the final week of training camp in Oxnard, California. While a six to eight-week timeline in the big picture of life isn't very long, for Bland, someone who missed significant time for the first time in his football career, it felt like an eternity."
"It's tough," Bland said on Thursday. "It was my first time being hurt, so taking that time away from the game, it took me a minute to get back to where I feel good to come back. So it feel good now. … It felt really long. I feel like I [haven't] played football in years, almost.
Dallas opened his 21-day practice window on Wednesday, and he has since practiced fully on both Wednesday and Thursday. The 25-year-old spoke to the media for the first time since the injury on Thursday, expressing his excitement to share the field with both Diggs and nickel corner Jourdan Lewis.
"Yeah, I can't wait," Bland said following his second full participation in practice in a row. "Those are both guys I looked up to when I first came into the league, and just to be able to play with them on the field at the same time for the first time? It's going to feel great."
Sunday against the 3-1 Detroit Lions could mark the first time all three have lined up together in the secondary since Bland entered the league as a fifth-round pick in 2022. He initially received playtime after Lewis fractured his foot in Bland's rookie year, and then once Lewis returned in 2023, Diggs was already out with his early-season knee injury.
"It'd be good man. It hadn't happened in a while," Lewis said on Wednesday. "Honestly, I don't think ever. It would be the first time that we're on the field together. So honestly, it'd be a good thing. Hopefully we can get a win out of it. It's definitely good to see him going out there and running and defending people at full speed. He almost had a pick today. Looked good."
Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said Thursday's padded practice would "be a real test for him." In the eyes of fellow 2023 first-team All-Pro in wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, Bland passed with flying colors.
"He's back," Lamb said Thursday when asked about Bland. "I'm happy for him. It's my first time getting to play with him this season. So excited for him. Can't wait to see him out there again alongside of [No.] 7 [Trevon Diggs]."
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott noted Bland was already making plays by knocking some of his passes down in practice during the week.
"Yeah, what he did last year was, obviously it was historical," Prescott said Thursday. "We damn sure miss that. But to say DB comes back and 'he's going to do that, and we've got to count on him doing that.' We just want him back, so he can play the best ball that he plays. We know that will be plenty enough. The [defensive touchdowns], the interceptions, his playmaking ability: that will just happen as he gets more into the feel of the game. Big time player that can, as I said, make plays on the ball. Made a great play on one of my balls. Exciting. Excited for him just to continue to get back and get healthy."
The toughest obstacle an athlete can sometimes face in their recovery is the mental hurdle of trusting their own body, but Bland's trust in himself and feel for the game returned the moment the Cowboys allowed him to put his helmet back on and return to practice.
"It feels good to be back out there practicing. It's just getting that feel back on the field," Bland said. "There's nothing like when you getting that feel back. As soon as I got moving, I put the helmet back on and got in that mode."
However, Bland isn't claiming to be firing on all cylinders at this very moment.
"I mean, of course there's some rust," Bland said. "I've been gone for a long while, so I've got a little bit of rust to knock off, so it'll be good to come back when I come back."
That leads to the big question: will he play in Week 6 against Detroit?
"I feel pretty good, but as far as coming back, time will tell. We're going to see," Bland said with a smile and a laugh.
If he returns this week, he'll be tasked with guarding explosive receivers no matter what. If it's in Week 6, 2023 first-team All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown and the speedy Jameson Williams, a 2022 first-round pick await. If Bland waits until after the team's bye in Week 7, something he said will factor into his decision to play this week, the San Francisco 49ers loaded cast of playmakers including Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk would serve as his welcome back matchup. Practicing against Lamb has Bland prepared for either challenge.
"A guy like CeeDee, you know he's one of the top receivers in the league, so he's definitely prepared me for whatever is going to come," Bland said.
Bland himself may already know the answer to his Week 6 game status, but he didn't provide a clear answer on what that may be Thursday afternoon.
"I don't know," Bland said smiling and laughing when asked what the chances are of him playing in Week 6. "Yeah, I always want to get back in the game. Time will tell, so we'll see."
His return will be a decision made between Bland, McCarthy and his coaching staff and the Cowboys training staff. It's worth noting Bland didn't feel soreness in his foot from Wednesday's practice when he woke up on Thursday. Friday morning will be a factor in whether or not he returns to action with the Cowboys in Week 6 at AT&T Stadium.
"We're going to see," Bland said.
