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Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland.

Like so many things about the Dallas Cowboys these days, seeing the franchise sign cornerback DaRon Bland to a 4-year, $90 million contract extension seemed to produce more questions than answers.

Questions like … why would the Cowboys sign a player to such a massive deal when he still has one season left on his contract plus? Questions like … why sign a player to that kind of money with just one great season under his belt? Questions like … is Bland even a Top 20 cornerback in the NFL?

The answer is usually the same— because the Cowboys can. Logic goes out the window.

In the wake of trading superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers on August 28, the Cowboys signed Bland to his mega-deal just a few days later.

Now, the Cowboys have $167 million in salaries tied up between the 2 starting cornerbacks in Bland and Trevon Diggs, who signed a 5-year, $97 million contract extension in July 2023.

Making a deal for Bland after not making a deal for Parsons fell flat across the board and was, at the best, just a massive overpay.

“Today (the Cowboys) gave Bland a huge extension,” The Ringer’s Bill Simmons said on his podcast on August 31. “Like $90 million. So, it’s like, ‘Well now that we don’t have to pay Micah Parsons, we have more money to overpay some of the other players on the team.’ I don’t even know if he’s a Top 20 cornerback.”

Bland Seemed Destined To Leave in Free Agency

Before Parsons was traded, it seemed like a given for Bland to leave in free agency following the 2025 season and the end of the 4-year, $3.97 million rookie contract he signed in 2022. The Cowboys also selected an elite cornerback in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft with East Carolina’s Shavon Revel.

PFF’s Mason Cameron had Bland ranked as the No. 1 free agent cornerback in the 2026 cycle before he signed his extension.

“DaRon Bland makes up half of Dallas’ supremely talented cornerback tandem but remains without a deal heading into the 2025 season and reportedly isn’t in talks for one currently,” Cameron wrote on May 7. “To add salt to the wound, the Cowboys spent a Day 2 draft pick at cornerback, likely signaling their budget doesn’t include an extension for Bland.”

Bland Dealt With Major Injury Issues in 2024

Even more incredible about Bland’s massive overpay is that it came after what was his worst season as a pro.

In 2023, Bland earned NFL All-Pro honors after he led the NFL with 9 interceptions and set an NFL record with 5 interceptions returned for touchdowns.

In 2024, Bland suffered a stress fracture in training camp and missed the first 10 games of the season. In 7 games, he didn’t have a single interception and a career low 5 pass deflections.

From one perspective, Bland’s contract extension is even more stunning.

“THIS IS WILD,” ML Football wrote on its official X account. “Broncos superstar cornerback Patrick Surtain II is basically getting paid the SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY as #Cowboys CB DaRon Bland … Bland: 4 years: 92 million dollars Surtain: 4 years: 96 million dollars  Surtain was the Defensive Player of The Year.”

Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame