Cowboys CB Bland Injured, Likely to Miss Week 4 vs. Giants
By Anthony Licciardi,
7 hours agoAUG 24 – BLAND DOWN – While the New York Giants prepare for their final preseason contest against the New York Jets, they received some news from their NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys.
Cowboys corner DaRon Bland suffered a stress fracture in his foot, the team announced. He will undergo surgery and is expected to be out 6-8 weeks.
That puts his status squarely in doubt for Week 4, when Dallas visits New York on Thursday Night Football. Week 4 is approximately five weeks from the preseason finale.
© Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Unequivocally, this weakens the Cowboys in the early going. The team let veteran Stephon Gilmore hit free agency – he recently signed with the Giants’ Week 1 opponent Minnesota Vikings – meaning it will rely on unproven depth in Bland’s absence.
Bland notably set the record for pick-sixes in a season (five) in 2023, so New York will avoid one of the game’s most dynamic ballhawks.
AUG 23 – BELICHICK ACCELERATED – The New York Giants don’t have much claim to former NFL head coach Bill Belichick’s greatness. They helped foster his acumen well before he took his long-time role with the New England Patriots.
Still, his two Super Bowl championships render him a hero in the minds of elderly Giants fans, even if the younger generations attach him to the two Super Bowls in which he lost to Big Blue.
There’s no doubt he’ll be going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a Patriot, but when he’ll be doing so came into question on Friday.
Belichick was initially eligible to be voted into Canton in the Class of 2029, but the Hall of Fame elected to change course regarding coaches. Now, they only need to be out of the game for one full season before landing on the ballot.
According to ProFootballTalk , Belichick will not be eligible for the 2025 class because the selection process has already begun. But if he isn’t hired ahead of next season, he’s a lock to be voted in with the 2026 class.
AUG 22 – NFC EAST TRADE – The New York Giants recently made a rare intra-division trade, dealing defensive tackle Jordan Phillips to the Dallas Cowboys for Day 3 draft compensation in 2026.
On Thursday, they watched their other two rivals get in on the fun, too.
The Washington Commanders have traded first-round receiver Jahan Dotson to the Philadelphia Eagles. Washington received a 2025 third-round pick and two seventh-round picks for Dotson and a fifth-round pick.
This trade is unusual for a number of reasons, given the rivalry at hand and Dotson being on his first contract, but the receiver had fallen out of favor as training camp continued and lost his grip on the starting job.
While there is speculation that another move could be brewing, for now Philadelphia remains the only team improved in the short term. Adding him to offensive coordinator Kellen Moore’s offense, alongside A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, should present him better opportunities than he had with the Commanders.
AUG 21 – JOSEPH SIGNS – The New York Giants have made a flurry of moves during the preseason to try and shape up the eventual 53-man roster and address the team’s weaknesses as the summer rolls.
Unfortunately for their hopes at an NFC East title, the Dallas Cowboys aren’t sitting on their hands, either.
On Wednesday, the Cowboys signed nose tackle Linval Joseph, per Josina Anderson .
The signing comes just days after Dallas and New York swapped Day 3 picks for defensive tackle Jordan Phillips.
The Cowboys have made it clear that they are a little too small up the middle and that there is work to be done to be a better run-stopping unit. These moves help shore up a defense with tantalizing upside.
New York will play Dallas in Weeks 4 and 13.
AUG 20 – CONGRATS SPAGS – Former New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo won a Super Bowl in the Big Apple, cementing himself as one of the most well-respected coaches in franchise history.
On Tuesday, he added more hardware to his trophy case.
Spagnuolo was officially awarded the Paul “Dr. Z” Zimmerman Award , an honor he shares with Tennessee Titans offensive line coach Bill Callahan.
The award, for lifetime achievement as an NFL assistant coach, has an esteemed cast of recipients. Just last year, former Giants defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale was one of the recipients.
Spagnuolo is a four-time Super Bowl champion who spent a combined five years with New York across two stints.
AUG 19 – SPIDEY CEEDEE – The New York Giants acquired Spider-Man this offseason when they traded for and extended star edge rusher Brian Burns.
The Dallas Cowboys seem to have one of their own.
On Monday, Cowboys star receiver CeeDee Lamb took to Instagram to post a picture of Peter Parker putting on the black symbiote suit – a turn to make the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man more powerful and, importantly, violent.
Now, we don’t expect Lamb to start throwing any punches. But the football world reacted with near unanimity that Lamb’s post was related to his ongoing holdout.
Lamb is in line for a monster contract extension that should rival Justin Jefferson’s four years and $140 million. While a deal will likely get done – teams don’t let superstars hit free agency without a fight – Dallas has continued to kick the can down the road.
Until a deal is reached, New York will hope the situation goes nuclear, having the Cowboys on the schedule in Weeks 4 and 13.
AUG 18 – MORE GILMORE – Veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore has long been one of the better defensive backs in the NFL, and on the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants got a hefty dose of him in 2023.
He found an interception and five passes defended across the two games, and he’s back for more in Week 1.
According to Adam Schefter , the Minnesota Vikings signed Gilmore on Sunday, inking a one-year deal worth $10 million – $7 million of which is guaranteed.
Gilmore immediately figures to join Byron Murphy Jr. atop the Vikings’ depth chart at corner, a testament to Minnesota’s weakness at the position and the veteran’s track record.
For a receiving corps that is still relatively unproven, Minnesota adding Gilmore is a nuisance. The Vikings are notoriously aggressive on defense, and a strong press-man corner could stifle New York’s athletic boundary receivers, making the season opener that much more difficult.
AUG 16 – LSU LOYALTY – The Louisiana State Tigers had no shortage of NFL talent this past offseason, sending three of its superstars to the first round of the NFL Draft.
Two of them – New York Giants receiver Malik Nabers and Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels – landed in the NFC East, writing storylines by themselves. The third, receiver Brian Thomas Jr., was picked by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Under an aggregator account saying that Thomas has been “unguardable” at camp, Nabers took to Twitter to comment on his former teammate.
“Not surprised,” he posted .
Thomas posted 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns for an LSU offense that set the college football world on fire in 2023. His efforts helped Nabers generate 1,569 yards and 14 scores and catapulted Daniels to new heights. The quarterback would win the Heisman before being taken with the No. 2 pick.
AUG 15 – SIMMONS ON THE SCHEDULE – The New York Giants watched one of their 2024 opponents make a significant addition in the late stages of the summer.
On Thursday, the Atlanta Falcons signed veteran safety Justin Simmons to a one-year deal worth $8 million, with $7.5 million in guarantees, per Ian Rapoport .
Alongside safety Jessie Bates III, Simmons helps give Atlanta one of the best safety duos in the sport, a bow on an otherwise questionable defense. The safety market quickly dried up this spring, leaving Simmons in search for a one-year deal with a contender.
New York was labeled a fit for Simmons at different points throughout the offseason, but taking away playing time from Tyler Nubin and Jason Pinnock always made that a pipe dream. New York’s muted expectations for the coming year didn’t make a pairing any more likely, either.
The Falcons will host the Giants in Week 16, making life more difficult for quarterback Daniel Jones and a receiving corps that hopes to be more explosive than ever before in the Jones era. Of course, that far into the season, it may not even be Jones under center.
AUG 14 – ADDISON’S ANKLE – The New York Giants will host the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1, but they’ll do so against Sam Darnold after rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy tore his meniscus and underwent season-ending surgery.
On Wednesday, the Vikings suffered another injury scare when former first-round receiver Jordan Addison – the Robin to Justin Jefferson’s Batman – was carted off with a leg injury.
Fortunately, further damage was averted. Addison’s injury, revealed to be an ankle ailment, isn’t believed to be serious, per Matthew Coller .
“I think he’s going to be OK,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said after practice.
Assuming Addison is ready for Week 1, as he’s expected to, New York’s secondary will have a daunting challenge ahead of it – even against a backup quarterback.
AUG 13 – HAYES’ NEW HOME – Summertime in the NFL is one of unlimited optimism, but it’s also one of change, goodbyes, and flurries of minor transactions.
The New York Giants have played no small part in filling the transaction log. On Sunday, the New York Giants waived him in a corresponding move for signing linebacker K.J. Cloyd.
On Monday, Hayes found his new home – the Denver Broncos.
Hayes was an undrafted free agent after the 2023 NFL Draft but spent the season on New York’s practice squad.
Hayes will attempt to make the Broncos roster on the backs of his elite athleticism. With a 4.33-second 40-yard dash and a 40-inch vertical, there’s some upside to tap into if he can carve out a spot on Denver’s roster or practice squad.
AUG 11 – DANIELS DAZZLES – The New York Giants didn’t get to see receiver Malik Nabers show out in his preseason debut. On Thursday night, he went without a target before being pulled with other starters. It wasn’t necessarily his fault, but it was underwhelming from an entertainment standpoint nonetheless.
He won’t be the only high-profile rookie in the NFC East this year.
On Saturday, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels made his professional debut against the New York Jets. In doing so, he gave fans a glimpse of what’s to come.
Daniels played just a single drive, but it wasn’t without its highlights. Daniels’ first pass sailed over the head of running back Austin Ekeler. On the next play, he targeted receiver Dyami Brown 42 yards downfield and dropped it in the bucket for a stellar deep completion.
After another short completion and a handful of runs, Daniels ended his only drive with a read option out of pistol. The result? A walk-in touchdown.
If Daniels lives up to his potential, Washington won’t be the pushover it has been in recent years. Even if he doesn’t pan out, his proclivity for creative plays means he can cause problems on any given play.
AUG 10 – COWBOYS TRADE CORNER – While the New York Giants scour the market for free agents in the wake of quarterback Drew Lock’s injury, their rivals are browsing the trade block.
No, Brandon Aiyuk hasn’t been traded just yet, but cornerback Nahshon Wright has.
On Friday, the Dallas Cowboys traded Wright, a fourth-year defensive back, for former second-round pick and Minnesota Vikings cornerback Andrew Booth Jr.
Neither projected to see much playing time in their respective situations, but the Cowboys hope Booth’s pedigree – a Clemson product and top-10 pick – thrives in a secondary that has had no shortage of developmental successes in recent years.
It’s possible Booth gets tested inside (he played just nine snaps there compared to Wright’s zero), but he isn’t yet a threat Giants fans have to be worried about.
AUG 9 – GOLDEN GONE – The Pittsburgh Steelers signed veteran edge rusher Markus Golden during training camp, hoping to add some potency to the unit's depth.
While he figured to compete for a roster spot, having been serviceable on last year’s squad, he has decided to retire. On Friday, the Steelers placed him on the Reserve/Retired List .
Golden, a second-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, had bounced between the Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants for the first eight years of his career, logging three double-digit-sack seasons (2016, 2019, and 2021).
The Giants didn’t have Golden for long – 2019 and half of 2020 – but he made an impact in New York. In 2019, he gave the Giants their first 10-sack season from a linebacker since Lawrence Taylor.
Across 1.5 seasons, Golden found 11.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, and 33 quarterback hits during his New York tenure.
AUG 8 – JACKSON SIGNS WITH JETS – Veteran running back Deon Jackson spent a single game with the New York Giants in 2023.
On Wednesday, he officially became a member of the city-wide rivalry.
In signing with the New York Jets , Jackson will compete for a spot on the running back depth chart, and potentially a kick returner role, as well.
After rushing 68 times for 236 yards and a score in 2022 with the Indianapolis Colts, he’s bounced around a bit. He spent time with the Colts, Cleveland Browns, and Giants in 2023, however he averaged just 1.1 yards per attempt on 13 carries.
With New York, he had a single carry for two yards, along with nine uneventful special teams snaps.
AUG 7 – OUT ON AIYUK – New York Giants fans can breathe a temporary sigh of relief.
As San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk held out for a lucrative contract extension, his trade market expanded and included several teams. The two favorites, initially, were largely expected to be the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Washington Commanders.
According to Matt Maiocco , the Commanders have taken themselves out of the Aiyuk sweepstakes.
Aiyuk is likely AFC-bound, if he does ultimately leave San Francisco. While the Giants do play the Steelers in Week 8, the idea of facing one of the league’s best pure separators twice each season is nightmare fuel, especially given New York’s inexperienced secondary.
Whether Aiyuk will compete for a Super Bowl in the Bay Area or cash out in the AFC is yet to be seen. However, a deal likely isn’t completed without an extension, taking him out of the Giants’ 2025 plans in free agency.
AUG 6 – BREIDA BACK IN THE BAY – Training camp’s arrival generally means the last of the notable free agents have found homes, the biggest trades of the offseason have been completed, and teams know what they have to work with ahead of the new year.
Still, some roster churning makes its way to August – some of which could have an impact on Sundays.
One such case may be the San Francisco 49ers bringing running back Matt Breida back home. Breida signed there on Monday, per Jeremy Fowler .
The former New York Giants running back spent the first three years of his career in San Francisco before spending a season each with the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins.
After two years with the Giants, logging 371 total rushing yards, he’ll look to bring his speed back to the Bay in a depth role.
AUG 4 – COUGHLIN COACHING – Former New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin’s days as the lead man for an organization are certainly over, but that doesn’t mean he can’t lend a helping hand once in a while.
The only problem? To the ire of the New York faithful, he’s not helping the team he won two Super Bowls with.
Coughlin was seen helping Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce earlier this week, per Vegas Sports Today .
He and former Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis went over the practice script with Pierce, who has searched for NFL experience ahead of his first full season. In January, it was announced that Coughlin would be a special adviser to Pierce, who played linebacker for Coughlin from 2005-2009.
Pierce was the interim head coach last season before ultimately landing the job after a series of interviews with high-profile candidates failed to inspire as much optimism as Pierce’s hold on the locker room had in the prior months.
AUG 3 – NFC EAST OFFENSIVE LINES – By this point, New York Giants fans have learned not to expect much from their offensive line. Year after year, quarterbacks and running games have been held back by inadequate protection and defensive linemen perpetually in the backfield.
Thus, it was no surprise when The 33rd Team ranked the Giants as the worst offensive line in football.
How does that compare to their NFC East rivals?
Related: Malik Nabers on Historic Start to Giants Career
The best offensive line in the division, far and away, is the Philadelphia Eagles, who ranked second in this exercise.
“The Philadelphia Eagles have three elite players in Lane Johnson, Landon Dickerson, and Jordan Mailata,” Ross Tucker wrote. “Cam Jurgens should be above average in his first year starting in place of Jason Kelce, but right guard is a question mark.”
For the first time in a while, though, the Dallas Cowboys aren’t right on their tail. The era of Zack Martin, Travis Frederick, and Tyron Smith has long been over, but the left tackle departed for greener pastures this offseason, leaving just Martin and guard Tyler Smith as standouts up front. The Cowboys ranked 19th.
Where the New York faithful may have some debate is with the Washington Commanders. At 27th, there’s reason to believe the Giants, after signing Greg Van Roten and presumably demoting Evan Neal, can compete with them and be a below-average unit, rather than one of the worst in the league.
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