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Cowboys $90 Million All-Pro Cleared to Return in Week 4 After Foot Injury

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The Dallas Cowboys finally received the good news they’ve been waiting for. After two weeks on the sideline, their All-Pro cornerback has been cleared to return and will suit up in Week 4.

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DaRon Bland is officially back. Team doctors confirmed he has fully recovered from the foot injury that sidelined him, and he will reclaim his spot in the starting lineup just in time for a crucial matchup.

His absence was glaring. In Week 1 against the Eagles, Dallas allowed just 144 passing yards with Bland on the field. But over the next two games without him, the defense surrendered a staggering 720 yards through the air.

Bland, who led the NFL with nine interceptions and five pick-sixes in 2023, signed a four-year, $90 million contract earlier this month with $49.3 million guaranteed. Now, the Cowboys’ investment gets its chance to pay off again.

 

The cornerback had re-injured the same foot that cost him most of the 2024 season, but this time, his recovery progressed faster than expected. Medical clearance came this week, paving the way for his return.

“He’s ready,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “We need his instincts and his ball skills to get this defense back on track.”

Owner Jerry Jones echoed that optimism: “We invested a lot in him, and now it’s time for Bland to reward that faith with the kind of playmaking that makes him special.”

 

With Bland’s return, the expected debut of Jadeveon Clowney, and the looming comeback of rookie Shavon Revel, the Cowboys believe their defense can steady itself just long enough to weather injuries on the offensive side of the ball.

Eagles Head Coach Announces A.J. Brown To Start On The Bench For Standout Rookie After Poor Performance vs. Broncos
  Philadelphia, PA — the Philadelphia Eagles’ head coach confirmed that A.J. Brown will start on the bench in Week 6 against the New York Giants, with the boundary starting spot going to rookie WR Taylor Morin—an undrafted signing out of Wake Forest who flashed through rookie camp and the preseason. The decision follows an underwhelming offensive showing against the Denver Broncos, where several snaps highlighted the unit being out of sync between Brown and Jalen Hurts. On a midfield option route, Hurts read Cover-2 and waited for an inside break into the soft spot, while Brown maintained a vertical stem and widened to the boundary to stretch the corner. The ball fell into empty space and the drive stalled. On a separate red-zone snap, a pre-snap hot-route signal wasn’t locked identically by the pair, resulting in a hurried throw that was broken up. The staff treated it as a reminder about route-depth precision, timing, and pre-snap communication—the micro-details that underpin the Eagles’ offense when January football arrives. Starting Morin is part of a plan to re-establish rhythm: the early script is expected to emphasize horizontal spacing, short choice/option concepts, and over routes off play-action to probe the Giants’ responses. Morin—who has shown strong hands in tight windows and clean timing in the preseason—should give the call sheet a steadier platform, while Brown will be “activated” in high-leverage downs such as 3rd-and-medium, two-minute, and red zone to maximize his body control, early separation, and the coverage gravity that can force New York to roll coverage. Facing the tough call, Brown kept his response brief but competitive:“I can’t accept letting a kid take my spot, but I respect his decision. Let’s see what we’re saying after the game. I’ll practice and wait for my chance. When the ball is in the air, everyone will know who I am.” Operationally, the staff is expected to streamline the call sheet between Hurts and Brown: standardize option-route depths, clearly flag hot signals, and increase game-speed reps in 7-on-7 and team periods so both are “seeing it the same and triggering the same.” Handing the start to Morin also resets the locker-room standard: every role is earned by tape and daily detail—even for a star of Brown’s caliber. If Brown converts the message into cleaner stems and precise landmarks—catching the ball at the spot and on time—the Eagles anticipate early returns: fewer dead drives, better red-zone execution when back-shoulder throws and choice routes are run “in the same language,” and an offense that regains tempo before taking on Big Blue. With Taylor Morin in the opening script, Philadelphia hopes the fresh piece is enough to jump-start the attack from the first series.