The Week 1 matchup between the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys just got more interesting as All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland is set to miss the season opener.
The All-Pro cornerback Bland will undergo surgery for a stress fracture in his foot, making him unavailable for the start of the regular season. The surgery is expected to sideline Bland for six to eight weeks per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
In his second year, the fifth round pick was one of the league’s best corners with nine interceptions and five returned for touchdowns. The surgery leaves the Cowboys with Caelen Carson and Josh Butler as the immediate replacements for the 2023 interception leader. If they didn’t already, the Cowboys will now have their hands full trying to guard the skillful Browns receivers.
The Browns will be expected to take advantage of any defensive gaps they may be able to find against the powerful Cowboys defense. They will still have to account for players like Trevon Diggs and Micah Parsons. As week 1 approaches, it will be interesting to see how the Cowboys respond to DaRon Blands’ injury before their matchup in Cleveland.