Cowboys lose DaRon Bland for 6-8 weeks due to foot injury

Cowboys All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland will miss the start of the season.

The Cowboys announced today that Bland will be out for six to eight weeks with a stress fracture in his foot.

“DaRon Bland experienced foot discomfort during training camp in Oxnard on Wednesday of last week,” the Cowboys said in a statement. “Subsequent imaging revealed a stress fracture in his foot. He will undergo surgery to repair the injury and is expected to be out for 6-8 weeks.”

This is a major blow to the Cowboys' defense. Last year, Bland led the NFL with nine interceptions and 209 interception return yards and set a new NFL record by returning five interceptions for touchdowns. He was named first-team All-Pro and finished fifth in voting for Defensive Player of the Year.

Fifth-round rookie Caelen Carson is likely to be next in line, with Bland out of the running.