Cowboys CB DaRon Bland May Undergo Foot Surgery, Likely Destined For IR
DaRon Bland is facing yet another foot surgery. According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, the Cowboys cornerback is seeking a second opinion on a foot injury that may ultimately require surgery.
[RELATED: Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs Says He Is Healthy Enough To Play]
Bland missed 10 games in 2024 thanks to a stress fracture in his foot. The fourth-year player also missed a pair of games earlier this season with a foot issue, and he’s popped up on the injury report a few times this year with the same injury.
According to Archer, Bland hasn’t scheduled a surgery yet. Still, it sounds like the injury will likely sideline the defensive back for the rest of the 2025 campaign. Archer opines that Bland is likely destined for the injured reserve, which would keep him off the field for the rest of the regular season.
The former fifth-round pick emerged as a starter during his rookie campaign before having a prolific sophomore season. Bland finished that 2023 season with nine interceptions, five of which were returned for touchdowns (an NFL record). Unfortunately, the cornerback has been limited to only 19 appearances since that time. After grading Bland as the second-best CB in the NFL in 2023, Pro Football Focus has ranked the former All-Pro in the middle of the pack at his position in 2024 and 2025.
The Cowboys will be especially cautious with Bland’s injury after the team handed him a lucrative extension this past offseason. The cornerback inked a four-year, $92MM deal, including $50MM in guaranteed money. That extension has yet to kick in, and the Cowboys will surely want Bland to get past this persistent foot issue before he sees a significant jump in his cap hit.
As the Cowboys look to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, it will be interesting to see how the coaching staff manages their CB depth chart. Trevon Diggs was a surprise inactive for Sunday’s game against the Vikings, but the cornerback later revealed that he was healthy enough to play. After moving on from Kaiir Elam earlier this season, the Cowboys are currently eyeing a cornerback grouping that consists of Shavon Revel, Reddy Steward, and Caelen Carson.
Cowboys DC Matt Eberflus On Hot Seat?
DECEMBER 18: When speaking to the media on Thursday, Eberflus acknowledged (via Machota) the Cowboys’ defensive performance down the stretch will play a role in deciding his status for 2026. He added an endorsement from the organization is not necessary at this point, although in the absence of a definitive one there will no doubt continue to be speculation about a potential change on the sidelines this offseason. Eberflus will call plays from the booth moving forward after doing so from the field.
DECEMBER 17: Although Dallas leads the NFL in total offense and ranks fifth in scoring, the team is all but guaranteed to miss the playoffs. After dropping to 6-7-1 with a loss to the Vikings in Week 15, the Cowboys’ chances of earning a postseason bid are under 1%, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. It’s fair to place most of the blame for the Cowboys’ lackluster season on their defense.
Under first-year coordinator Matt Eberflus, previously the Bears’ head coach, Dallas sits 29th in total defense. Only the lowly Bengals have allowed more points than the Cowboys.
With the Cowboys’ defense off to a dreadful start in 2025, owner Jerry Jones and executive vice president Stephen Jones gave public votes of confidence to Eberflus leading up to the Nov. 4 trade deadline. The Cowboys then made noteworthy deals to acquire defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the Jets and linebacker Logan Wilson from the aforementioned Bengals. They also saw linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and cornerback Shavon Revel return from long-term injury absences last month.
Thanks in part to an improved defense, the Cowboys ripped off three straight post-deadline wins over the Raiders, Eagles, and Chiefs. They were firmly in the playoff mix at that point, but that momentum is gone after back-to-back losses to Detroit and Minnesota.
The Cowboys gave up 44 points against the Lions and surrendered another 34 to the Vikings. J.J. McCarthy, among the league’s least effective quarterbacks this year, played one of the best games of his young career. McCarthy finished 15 of 24 for 250 yards, three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing), and an interception.
After McCarthy helped take a sledgehammer to the Cowboys’ fading playoff hopes, Jerry Jones sounded less bullish about Eberflus. It seems he’ll be under evaluation for the rest of the season.
“The adjustments that we should be making (defensively) should be with these next three games in mind,” Jones said on Sunday night (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “With three games left in the short time that we’ve got to play them in, then that will impact any adjustments that you make regarding coaching with the time frame we’re dealing with. That’s a legit question.”
One of the “adjustments” Dallas made in Week 15 was to give more playing time to Wilson. Jerry Jones noted that was a possibility leading up to the game (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News). Wilson then made his first start as a Cowboy and logged more defensive snaps than Kenneth Murray (29 to 22), but the results were uninspiring. Both players recorded one tackle apiece.
Asked about Wilson and Murray, head coach Brian Schottenheimer said (via Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News) that the two “can improve in certain areas, and it’s kind of pretty consistent throughout our football team right now.”
Eberflus may need to get more from Wilson, Murray, and the rest of his defense if he’s going to remain on Schottenheimer’s staff next year. Otherwise, Eberflus could follow Mike Zimmer as the team’s second consecutive one-and-done defensive coordinator. The Cowboys haven’t had stability there since Dan Quinn‘s three-year run from 2021-23.
Cowboys Hope To Retain CB Trevon Diggs Beyond 2025
Given the way Trevon Diggs‘ season has played out, many have pointed to a Cowboys departure being likely this spring. The team’s preference would be to keep him in the fold, however. 
Diggs has been limited to just six games this season. The two-time Pro Bowl corner remains on injured reserve at this point even though he believes he is healthy enough to play. As he awaits a return to action, further clarity has emerged regarding Diggs’ situation.
Upon speaking with the 2021 All-Pro, NFL Network’s Jane Slater learned the home incident which resulted in his concussion was “far less nefarious” than speculation regarding the situation has implied (video link). Diggs has also been rehabbing a knee injury while recovering from the concussion, and his practice window opened on November 30. He will therefore need to be activated in the coming days to be able to play in Dallas’ three remaining games.
The relationship between team and player has reportedly worsened over time in 2025. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has been in contact with Diggs about not only his health situation but also the need to meet the team’s standards regarding on- and off-field matters. Under new DC Matt Eberflus, the Cowboys have largely struggled while attempting to implement his zone-heavy scheme. Diggs’ past success has come in man coverage, and he conceded to Slater improvement is needed if he is find his footing in the Eberflus-led defense.
Per Slater, the Cowboys “would love” to have Diggs in place beyond the closing stages of the 2025 season. She adds the 27-year-old’s preference would also be to remain in Dallas. Improved play down the stretch would be critical in this case given the ease with which a parting of ways could take place this spring. Diggs’ contract runs through 2028, but it does not contain any guarantees after this year. The Cowboys could release him and generate over $12.5MM in cap savings while incurring a dead money charge of just $5.88MM.
Of course, it is far from certain if Eberflus will still be at the helm of Dallas’ defense in 2026. A change on the sidelines could alter Diggs’ future in Dallas. For now, though, his attention will be aimed at remaining on the field for the final three games of the campaign and potentially playing his way into a more stable Cowboys tenure.
Cowboys Open Up Practice Windows For Three Players
The Cowboys are dangerously close to being eliminated from the playoffs, but they haven’t stopped fighting yet. With three weeks left in the season, now’s the time to open 21-day practice windows for players hoping to make a return from injured lists this year.
To that point, Dallas opened the practice window for defensive end Payton Turner, who had been designated to return at the roster cut deadline in August, designated seventh-round rookie running back Phil Mafah to return from injured reserve, and designated cornerback Josh Butler to return from the reserve/physically unable to perform list, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. The three players have been on their respective injured lists since before the season began.
The Cowboys signed Turner to a one-year deal early into free agency to build depth behind a group that, at the time, consisted of Micah Parsons, Sam Williams, and Marshawn Kneeland. To date, only Williams remains after the Parsons trade and Kneeland’s tragic passing. Turner’s depth ended up being a non-factor, considering he spent the first 15 weeks of the season on IR, but if he returns, he’ll now add depth behind Donovan Ezeiruaku, Dante Fowler, Jadeveon Clowney, and Williams.
Butler went undrafted out of Michigan State all the way back in 2020, and after a short stint in the short-lived The Spring League and a strong season in the USFL, Butler earned himself a chance in Dallas in 2023. The next year, he made his NFL debut and, two games later, made his first of three consecutive starts. His quick rise came to an unfortunate end, though, when he tore his ACL, ending his debut NFL season.
Mafah, a two-year starter at Clemson, was one of two rookies the team drafted this year. He suffered a shoulder injury in the Cowboys’ final preseason game, and it was announced that he would eventually be put on IR. With the team opting to assign its two allotted pre-deadline return designations to Turner and wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, they opted to keep Mafah on the initial 53-man roster, so they could immediately place him on IR the next week and give him a chance to return later into the year, as well.
There is no longer the usual pressure to get activated within the 21-day window as we only have three weeks remaining in the regular season. The 21-day window will take them past the Week 18 slate of games, so being reverted to season-ending IR would not the worst fate. Still, these three will be working hard to get onto the field in 2025 and help their team push for a still technically possible playoff berth, and at worst, they’ll give the Cowboys three more bodies at practice for the remainder of the season.
2025 NFL Dead Money, By Team
As we head toward the playoffs, three NFL teams are carrying more than $100MM in dead money. That represents more than a third of the salary cap. The 49ers are also on track to make the playoffs with more than $100MM allocated to players no longer on their 53-man roster. Here is where the 32 teams stand for dead money (via OverTheCap) with three weeks left in the regular season:
- New Orleans Saints: $107.83MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $103.77MM
- New York Jets: $102.1MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $87.79MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $87.27MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $86.1MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $85.49MM
- Cleveland Browns: $83.22MM
- Miami Dolphins: $72.45MM
- Houston Texans: $66.44MM
- Tennessee Titans: $59.42MM
- Green Bay Packers: $57.98MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $56.23MM
- New England Patriots: $50.56MM
- Denver Broncos: $42.78MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $41.34MM
- Detroit Lions: $40.71MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $40.39MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $38.78MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $38.38MM
- Buffalo Bills: $37.58MM
- Carolina Panthers: $36.55MM
- New York Giants: $33.74MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $33.7MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $30.6MM
- Washington Commanders: $27.29MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $27MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $20.99MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $20.33MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $17.37MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $16.51MM
- Chicago Bears: $8.6MM
The $100MM trio dwarfs last year’s leaders — the Broncos — in this unwanted area. The Saints began taking some overdue medicine for their cap-gymnastics past by trading Marshon Lattimore last year. That move coming after June 1 pushed $31.67MM onto New Orleans’ 2025 cap sheet. Derek Carr also counts $19.2MM on this year’s Saints cap, while Ryan Ramczyk‘s retirement covers more than $11MM.
The Carr punishment covers $55.88MM in total, meaning nearly $37MM from the QB’s retirement will land on New Orleans’ 2026 payroll. Mickey Loomis‘ spree of restructures on that contract created that inflated figure.
Deebo Samuel brought a receiver-record dead money total to the 49ers, who absorbed $34.12MM by trading the seventh-year veteran in March. The second leg of the post-June 1 Arik Armstead transaction from 2024 created a $15MM dead cap hit this year, with void years on Charvarius Ward‘s deal covering more than $12MM.
Gang Green took on barely $20MM combined from the Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades and will do the same next year, reflecting the low signing bonus figure on the Gardner extension. The Jets, though, have taken $56MM in total from the Aaron Rodgers release ($21MM this year, $35MM next). That is the second-highest total dead cap hit in NFL history.
The team that authorized the highest dead money sum in league annals — Denver, via the 2024 Russell Wilson release — is still carrying $32MM on that contract. It comes off the books next year, and the Broncos do not have any other player counting more than $3MM in dead cap on their 2025 payroll.
The Eagles and Seahawks are also moving toward the playoffs with higher dead money counts compared to the 2024 Broncos, though it should be noted the cap’s $24MM increase from last year plays into this. Philadelphia is still carrying a combined $26MM from the 2024 Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox retirements. Josh Sweat void years also comprise $16.44MM of this year’s cap. The Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf trade brought $21MM in dead cap, while Geno Smith, Tyler Lockett and Dre’Mont Jones combine to cover more than $41MM in dead money.
Amari Cooper and Za’Darius Smith‘s 2024 Cleveland exits via trade tagged the Browns with more than $36MM in dead money together, while the Dolphins are dealing with more than $30MM combined from the post-June 1 designations on Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey. The latter counts $15.7MM in dead money this year and $20.9MM in 2026. That eclipses Lattimore’s defender-record total for dead cap.
Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs Says He Is Healthy Enough To Play
Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs was a surprise inactive for Sunday’s game against the Vikings, sparking questions about his future in Dallas.
Diggs, 27, has not played since Week 6 due to a concussion and a knee injury, though it was not the knee that required surgery in 2023 and 2024. He was placed on injured reserve on October 25 and returned to practice at the end of November.
After two weeks of practice, Diggs appeared ready to play against the Vikings and said he was expecting to do so. Instead, he will have to wait another week before being activated from IR and returning to in-game action. Even when he does, he does not seem guaranteed to have a role in the defense.
“Trevon and I sat down and we had a very detailed conversation on Saturday,” Schottenheimer said on Monday (via ). “I told him not only the reasons why but also the standards and expectations.”
Diggs said (via ESPN’s Todd Archer) that he was “upset” and did not know why he was inactive despite a Saturday sit-down with head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
““This week, I showed them what they wanted to see in practice and it’s still the same result,” Diggs said. “I don’t know what else I need to do or what to show. At this point I feel like it’s not even, it’s not up to me or what I do. It’s really up to them, and what they want to do. I’m just showing up every day. I’m going to go to work.”
Diggs, a 2020 second-round pick, took over a starting cornerback job as soon as he arrived in Dallas, but spent four games on injured reserve due to a foot fracture. He broke out in 2021 with 21 passes defended and a league-high 11 interceptions, though he also had a tendency to give up big plays. Diggs did not have as much ball production the following year, but his overall coverage improved substantially. That earned him a five-year, $97MM extension; since signing it, he has only played in 19 games.
Between the injuries and a seemingly strained relationship between player and team, Diggs could be on his way out of Dallas this offseason. He is owed $47MM over the next three years, per OverTheCap; a post-June 1 cut would save the Cowboys $15.5MM in 2026 cap space with $2.9MM in dead money in 2026 and 2027.
The Cowboys signed DaRon Bland to an extension to a four-year, $90MM extension – a far better value than Diggs’ deal – just before the season started. In addition to making outside additions, Dallas could also roll with 2024 fifth-rounder Caelen Carson and 2025 3rd rounder Shavon Revel, who have both seen plenty of playing time amid Diggs’ absence.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Sunday’s action provided more clarity on a number of fronts relating to the playoff pushes in each conference. The list of teams still in contention for the top pick in the 2026 draft remains long, however.
Week 15 saw the Broncos and Rams clinch a postseason berth. Meanwhile, the Chiefs, Bengals and Vikings have each officially been eliminated from the playoffs. They will join the group of teams turning their attention to offseason planning. That of course includes extensive evaluation of the top prospects in this year’s class; several have already turned pro (with some exceptions).
Sunday’s results mean there are nine teams with two, three or four wins. Each of them remain candidates to secure the No. 1 selection, although victories by the Saints and Commanders yesterday will greatly hinder their chances of moving to the top of the order. Jockeying amongst teams like the Raiders, Jets and Cardinals (each on track to pursue a new quarterback this spring) will be a storyline worth following closely down the stretch.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is an updated look at the first-round order:
- New York Giants (2-12)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)
- Tennessee Titans (2-12)
- Cleveland Browns (3-11)
- New York Jets (3-11)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-11)
- New Orleans Saints (4-10)
- Washington Commanders (4-10)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Miami Dolphins (6-8)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (6-8)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (7-7)
- Carolina Panthers (7-7)
- Detroit Lions (8-6)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (9-5)
- Houston Texans (9-5)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Buffalo Bills (10-4)
- Chicago Bears (10-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (10-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (10-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- New England Patriots (11-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (11-3)
- Los Angeles Rams (11-3)
- Denver Broncos (12-2)
Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs Out Week 15
It appears Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs could utilize all 21 days of his practice window as Mike Garafolo of NFL Network announced today that the veteran will remain on injured reserve after being designated to return at the turn of the month. He was questionable to play against the Vikings this week. Even yesterday, The Athletic’s Jon Machota relayed that Diggs expected to play, but it appears the team’s skepticism has won out, as he is now officially out and inactive.
Diggs is now set to miss his ninth week in a row, so it’s no wonder he is antsy to get back onto the field. “I’m ready,” he told members of the media following practice on Friday. “It’s definitely been hard (not playing) because, of course, you want to get back out there. But people feel how they feel, and you just gotta roll with the punches and keep pushing forward.”
Diggs’ road to recovery has been a rocky one in more ways than one. Back in October, as Diggs was continuing to work his way back from a knee injury, he suffered a concussion in his home, landing him on IR. Even further back, in the offseason, the Cowboys fined Diggs $500K for “failing to meet workout participation requirements at the team’s headquarters.”
Per Machota, as good as Diggs has been in his return to the field, the team brass appears to be waiting on improvement in “other areas beyond his work on the field.” Head coach Brian Schottenheimer filled reporters in on the situation.
“He’s still in the ramp-up period,” Schottenheimer told them this week. “I think he does feel healthy. I know he wants to play, but at the end of the day, we have to do what we think is in the best interest of not just him, but also the football team. And when you miss some time, there’s the ramp-up period. It is not just for your body but for your mind and figuring out some of the defense, and there’s some new faces in the huddle and things like that.”
Schottenheimer then relayed that Diggs needed to show them “he’s ready to do everything the right way.” When asked to clarify what that entailed, Schottenheimer simply said, “Everything. Consistency through everything.” There wasn’t much clarification past that, but Schottenheimer claimed that this week was better than the last, and if next week is again an improvement, Diggs can expect to be on the field. At this point, it’s improvement or nothing. Digg’s 21-day practice window will close a week from today, so if he doesn’t get activated this week, he’ll revert to season-ending IR.
A move that dire, when Diggs clearly feels he’s healthy enough to play, could be detrimental to his relationship with the organization. Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports tells us multiple sources have claimed that the relationship between Diggs and Dallas has “soured” and “been severed.” Diggs’ contract has an out built in after this season, and if the two sides are no longer seeing eye-to-eye, we may see the end of his tenure with the Cowboys.
For his part, Diggs has said he wants his future to be in Dallas, per Machota. Diggs said that he understands “at the end of the day, it’s a business” and that “whatever happens, happens.” According to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News, Diggs told the media he doesn’t have an agent and that he represents himself.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Week 14’s action brought about a few notable updates to the standings at both ends of the NFL’s conferences. Another four teams are officially out of playoff contention, while wins by Tennessee and New Orleans could prove to be rather important once the campaign has ended.
The Jets, Browns, Falcons and Commanders were eliminated from the postseason through the results of recent days. Of course, each of those teams have been out of the running for a playoff push for some time now. Still, that group will be worth watching closely over the closing four weeks of the season as the top-10 order for Day 1 of the draft gradually comes into focus.
Uncertainty regarding the quarterback class of 2026 will no doubt remain a talking point over the coming months. Fernando Mendoza strengthened his case to be QB1 in April’s draft, although it remains to be seen if other top signal-callers like Dante Moore and Ty Simpson will turn pro or elect to remain in school for one more season. Decisions on those fronts will be central storylines carrying significant implications for the teams near the top of the order which find themselves in need of a quarterback investment.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is an updated look at the first-round order:
- New York Giants (2-11)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)
- Tennessee Titans (2-11)
- Cleveland Browns (3-10)
- New Orleans Saints (3-10)
- Washington Commanders (3-10)
- New York Jets (3-10)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)
- Minnesota Vikings (5-8)
- Miami Dolphins (6-7)
- Baltimore Ravens (6-7)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-7)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)
- Carolina Panthers (7-6)
- Detroit Lions (8-5)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-5)
- Houston Texans (8-5)
- Chicago Bears (9-4)
- Buffalo Bills (9-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (9-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Seattle Seahawks (10-3)
- New England Patriots (11-2)
- Los Angeles Rams (10-3)
- Denver Broncos (11-2)
Cowboys Comfortable Using Franchise Tag On George Pickens?
Thursday marked a rare down night in terms of production for George Pickens. His debut season with the Cowboys has overwhelmingly been a success, and a major financial windfall is expected. 
No known talks on a long-term deal have taken place yet, which is an understandable stance from both sides. Pickens remains on track for free agency at this point, although it remains to be seen if he will reach the open market. A recent report indicated the Cowboys would be willing to use the franchise tag to retain Pickens for 2026.
Tagging the Georgia product will cost roughly $28MM for next year. Dallas would need to take on that figure as a cap charge unless a multi-year pact could later be worked out. In spite of that, ESPN’s Todd Archer and Jeremy Fowler write the Cowboys do not appear to be “afraid” of the cost of applying the tag in this case. Dallas has taken that route several teams over the years, and it would come as little surprise if ensuring Pickens remains in place were to be a major 2026 priority.
Of course, a long-term deal close to the top of the receiver market could be the target from Pickens’ camp if his career year finishes on a high note. Nine receivers are attached to an AAV of $30MM or more, and the former second-rounder could certainly look to join that group. Pickens has been a focal point for the Cowboys on offense this year, averaging 15.1 yards per reception and scoring eight touchdowns.
That production will set him up for a major raise compared to his rookie contract in one way or another. Still, the Cowboys could be hesitant about a long-term commitment in this case. Pickens drew criticism for off-the-field matters like punctuality during his tenure with the Steelers, and it appears they have followed him to Dallas. Per the ESPN report, the 24-year-old has been fined by the Cowboys for being late at times this season.
Overall, the matter is not considered a major issue, with quarterback Dak Prescott‘s leadership cited as a factor for why Pickens has not been involved in any controversies so far for Dallas. Provided that remains the case down the stretch, team and player will be willing to negotiate a big-ticket contract. Things would certainly become complicated in the event of a tag – given the fact it could lead to absences during the spring and training camp – but for now that looks to be a path the Cowboys are fully prepared to go down.