Cowboys finally do something that makes sense in reaction to DaRon Bland injury
By Lior Lampert
Dallas Cowboys All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland recently got placed on injured reserve due to a stress fracture in his left foot. The star defensive back reportedly is expected to miss anywhere from six to eight weeks.
With the 2024 regular-season opener around the corner, Bland's foot ailment couldn't come at a worse time. Dallas will be hard-pressed to replace him, especially at this juncture. However, you can't blame them for trying, which they did by signing veteran Amani Oruwairye.
The Cowboys are signing CB Amani Oruwariye to the practice squad, per source. He has started 36 games in his career with nine interceptions.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) August 29, 2024
Oruwairye will join the Cowboys' practice squad, per ESPN's Todd Archer. But sans Bland, he could get called up to the 53-man roster sooner rather than later.
Cowboys finally do something to address Da’Ron Bland's injury, sign CB Amani Oruwairye
Behind Bland and fellow standout Trevon Diggs, the Cowboys are relatively thin at the corner position. Veteran Jourdan Lewis mainly operates from the slot, so he doesn't profile as an ideal fill-in. Meanwhile, recently acquired Andrew Booth Jr. and 2024 fifth-round pick Caelen Carson are unproven choices. Given his skill set, pedigree and experience, Oruwairye is presumably the most viable alternative.
Oruwairye started 2023 on the New York Giants practice squad. He suffered an unfortunate neck injury last September after a collision in a special teams drill, which led to his eventual release. The 2019 fifth-round pick landed with the Jacksonville Jaguars not long after getting cut, though played in only one game.
Nonetheless, Oruwairye demonstrated his ballhawk traits during his four-year stint with the Detroit Lions from 2019-22. He racked up nine interceptions in 53 contests (36 starts) and 24 pass deflections, amassing 173 combined tackles.
Even when Bland returns, Oruwairye is a solid depth piece for the Cowboys and bolsters their secondary. But in the meantime, the latter gives them a usable relief option for the former.
Bland is one of the premier defensive players in the NFL. He led the league in interceptions (nine) and pick-sixes (five). His efforts earned him Defensive Player of the Year consideration, finishing fifth.
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