Dallas Cowboys: CB DaRon Bland’s Case for Defensive Player of the Year

CB DaRon Bland – Dallas Cowboys (Fresno State, 2022)

There is a good chance that Dallas Cowboys second-year cornerback Will Johnson will win NFL Defensive Player of the Year

this year.

The Cowboys cornerback has dominated the league, collecting numerous outstanding solo tackles in addition to an

incredible interception collage.

These are the main arguments for Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2023–2024.

During the 2023 regular season, Bland has intercepted 8 passes which ranks him first in the league. Out of those league leading 8 picks he has taken 5 of them for a touchdown.

His 5 pick-sixes ranks him 1st all-time in pick-sixes in NFL history… and there’s still 4 games left in the 2023 season. Bland has a total of 209 interception return yards as well, also ranking him first in the NFL in that category.

Bland can catch difficult throws with his receiving hands and has a sense for the game.

Bland’s tendency to be rarely burnt deeply sets him apart from other similar players, especially fellow Cowboy and injured cornerback Trevon Diggs.

In addition to being a far better individual tackler than Diggs, Bland doesn’t take as many chances on interceptions. Bland is a highly significant asset for the Dallas Cowboys, who according to PFF use man coverage on 36.5 percent of their defensive snaps. Bland is also an effective man defender.

Bland ranks 14th overall in the NFL in passes defended with 14.

This number doesn’t necessarily reflect a total value of a corner because it depends on the amount of times they’re targeted. For example, legendary cornerback Darrell averaged 12 passes defended in his Hall of Fame career.

Speaking of Revis, let’s look at his 2009 season (considered his best) and compare it to Bland. In 2009, Revis had 6 interceptions, Bland leads by 2. Revis had 47 tackles, Bland has 45 with 4 games left. Revis had one pick-six… not close to Bland’s 5.

What about the past two corners to win Defensive Player of the Year? Fellow Dallas Cowboy Stephon Gilmore won the award in 2019. During that season Gilmore had 6 interceptions (adv. Bland), 2 pick-sixes (adv. Bland), and 44 solo tackles (adv. Bland).

In 2009, legendary cornerback Charles Woodson had the greatest season for a corner ever and won the Defensive Player of the Year award. During that season, Woodson had 9 interceptions, 3 pick-sixes, and 66 solo tackles.

Unbelievable numbers for sure but Bland is neck and neck with him.

Currently DaRon Bland ranks as the second highest graded cornerback in the NFL, according to PFF. Bland trails Bears corner Jaylon Johnson by .1 point. When you compare stats between Johnson and Bland the numbers aren’t even close, Bland beats him by a mile.

Bland has had a significant impact on the Dallas Cowboys’ season. After professional bowler Diggs suffered an ACL injury that ended the season, the second-year corner was compelled to assume a more significant role.

He has taken on the role with great plays and effective production. The appreciation that other corners who have experienced comparable or even less fruitful seasons receive is well-deserved for the second-year corner.

There wouldn’t even be a doubt if Sauce Gardner was experiencing the same season that Bland is gathering information on.

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