Where would you rank the duo of Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland across the rest of the NFL?
It is no secret that this has been an uneventful offseason for the Dallas Cowboys. They have lost several key starters from last season, and have holes in their roster they will hope to address in the upcoming NFL draft. However, one hole they will not need to address early in the draft is the cornerback position. While the future of free agent CB Stephon Gilmore is still up in the air, the team will be getting star corner Trevon Diggs back from his season-ending ACL tear in the 2023 season.
Diggs quickly proved himself to be one of the best ball-hawks in the NFL, accumulating 11 interceptions in just his second season in the league in 2021. This tied the Cowboys franchise record for most in a season, with Everson Walls also getting 11 interceptions in 1981.
The following year, Diggs interception total dropped to just three throughout the 2022 season. However, this was due to an increase in reliability in coverage, and being more disciplined in the secondary. Diggs took less chances, allowing him to be beat less in coverage. By doing this, his interception number fell. Teams also quit testing him in certain situations.
Diggs received a five-year, $97 million contract extension heading into the 2023 season, making him one of the highest paid players in the league at his position. He was off to a great start in the first two games of the season, before tearing his ACL in practice ahead of their week three game against the Arizona Cardinals. While this news felt devastating to both Diggs and Cowboys fans, it presented another player an opportunity for more responsibility. Second-year cornerback DaRon Bland took advantage of that opportunity.
After being drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 draft, Bland had a surprisingly impactful season for the Dallas Cowboys in his rookie year. He led the team that season with five interceptions, proving to be yet another reliable ballhawk in the Dallas secondary. In his rookie year, Bland did a majority of his damage in the slot position. However, when Diggs went down with his injury, the team had to put Bland on the outside across from teammate Stephon Gilmore in 2023. Bland not only held his own, he had a historic season.
Bland had nine interceptions this past season, the fourth-most in a season in franchise history. To add onto the greatness of it, he returned five of them for a touchdown. He broke the record for the most interceptions returned for a touchdown when he scored his fifth on Thanksgiving against the Washington Commanders.
My favorite play of the 2023 season. DaRon Bland breaking history.. Jim Nantz on the call.. goosebumps🔥 pic.twitter.com/pRQbTgjzpj
— Chris Halling (@ChrisHalling_) January 25, 2024
With Diggs coming back from injury next season, the Cowboys will likely enter week one with him and Bland as the two outside cornerbacks. With Bland being 24 years old and Diggs being 25, the Cowboys have arguably the best pair of young cornerbacks in the league.
