The Dallas Cowboys have secured one of their defensive stars for the long term, agreeing to a four-year, $92 million contract extension with cornerback DaRon Bland , including $50 million guaranteed. The deal, confirmed Sunday, makes Bland the NFL’s sixth-highest-paid cornerback at $23 million per year.

Bland, 25, became a household name during his breakout 2023 season, when he recorded nine interceptions and set an NFL record with five pick-sixes. The one-time All-Pro and Pro Bowler now forms one of the league’s most dangerous cornerback tandems alongside Trevon Diggs.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer praised Bland’s rise: “Shot onto the scene a couple years ago and made an immediate impact as a rookie. … He’s such a humble young man, but so well-deserved. You love him as a teammate and as a competitor.”

A 2022 fifth-round pick, DaRon Bland has totaled 14 interceptions, 164 tackles, 27 passes defensed and one forced fumble in his career. Though he missed the first 10 games of last season with injury and failed to record a pick after returning, his early production has far outpaced expectations.

The extension comes just days before Dallas faces the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL Kickoff Game, fulfilling Bland’s stated wish to get a deal done before Week 1.