The Cowboys’ cornerback situation already looks like a problem worth monitoring, and one possible answer has popped up in Cleveland.
Dallas entered the season hoping DaRon Bland and Shavon Revel would give the position a better look in 2026, especially with Cobie Durant added after a strong offseason. But one week in, Bland’s rough showing against the New York Giants has kept the concern alive.
According to Pro Football Focus, Bland posted a 58.5 coverage grade and allowed a passer rating of 137.9 in coverage. For context, a perfect passer rating is 158.3.
Durant turned in a strong game, and Revel was fine in a limited role, logging just 20 snaps. Dallas had Revel rotating with Durant, though it probably should have been Bland in that spot. Still, the bigger issue is that Bland’s uneven play has now been a pattern, not just a one-game blip.
That’s where Cleveland Browns cornerback Tyson Campbell comes into the picture. In a recent Bleacher Report piece on players who could be on the trade block before Week 2, Kristopher Knox listed Campbell as a name to watch and included the Cowboys as one of the possible landing spots.
"The Browns should be looking to chase 2027 draft capital in their pursuit of a quality quarterback. Starting corner Tyson Campbell could potentially bring some. He started 12 games for Cleveland last season and allowed an opposing passer rating of just 84.8 in coverage," Knox wrote.
"Potential Suitors: Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers," Knox added.
Campbell is under contract through 2028, which makes him more than a short-term fix.
If Dallas wanted to swing bigger, Denzel Ward would be the more attractive target. But ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote in June that Cleveland had no interest in moving him. That could always change later, and if it does, the Cowboys should be ready.
Campbell didn’t open this season in ideal fashion, allowing a catch on all four throws his way in Week 1. That produced 52 yards and a 118.7 passer rating. Even so, it was still better than Bland’s numbers.
Last season, Campbell was steadier. He allowed a 53.3% completion rate and a 93.5 passer rating, while Bland gave up 62.3% completions and a 103.3 passer rating. Campbell also posted a 66.5 PFF coverage grade, good for 43rd out of 114 cornerbacks, and added value against the run with a 77.5 grade, which ranked 16th at the position.
No one is going to mistake Campbell for a huge upgrade, but he would be an upgrade. And at this point, Dallas needs help wherever it can find it in the secondary.
The price would likely be a Day 3 pick, with a fifth-rounder seeming like the best guess. The Cowboys don’t have a fifth-round pick next year, though they do have fourth- and sixth-round selections, so a swap could be in play. They also own three Day 3 picks in 2028, including one fifth-rounder and two sixth-rounders, with no seventh-round pick.
Dallas would still probably prefer to chase a bigger name, whether that’s Ward or Joey Porter Jr., who reportedly could be available. But if the splash move never materializes, a player like Campbell is a reasonable fallback.
In Other News...
Michael Penix Jr Puts Falcons Quarterback Decision Back In Play
Michael Penix Jr. was back as a full participant in practice this week, a notable step for a Falcons quarterback still working through recovery and one that immediately brings the position conversation back into focus. Atlanta had Penix sharing reps with Cooper Rush, a reminder that the quarterback room is very much in motion as the Falcons keep sorting out how they want to handle the position going forward.
The timing matters in a division where every team is watching the margin for error. Across the NFC South, Todd Bowles has already made it clear Baker Mayfield has to be sharper with the football, while Carolina is making roster moves of its own, waiving cornerback Jimmy Horn to open a spot for linebacker Tyrel Dodson. For Atlanta, though, the bigger picture is simpler: Penixs return to full work is putting the Falcons quarterback decision right back in play. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Newton Just Entered The Falcons Quarterback Conversation
Cam Newton resurfaced in the Falcons quarterback conversation this week by making a public case that he could still help an NFL team, even after not playing since 2021. The former Panthers star, who will be Hall of Fame eligible next year, also took aim at Atlantas recent quarterback decisions while noting that no team has reached out to him, despite the occasional fan push to bring him back.
For the Falcons, it is the kind of noise that follows any team still trying to settle its long-term answer under center. Newton said he understands a return is unlikely, but he made clear he would at least welcome the chance to be asked, drawing a contrast with other retired quarterbacks who have found their way back onto the field. For now, it is more a reminder of Atlantas ongoing search than a true sign of movement, but Newtons name has a way of keeping the discussion alive. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Suddenly Face A Bigger A.J. Terrell Question Than Expected
A.J. Terrell entered the 2026 season as one of the most trusted pieces of Atlantas defense, but the early returns have made his spot under a brighter light than the Falcons probably expected. In Week 1 against the Steelers, he had a rough afternoon in coverage, with multiple catches allowed and penalties adding to the frustration, and Pro Football Focus had him graded near the bottom among qualified cornerbacks for the game.
Even with those concerns about both health and performance, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has continued to speak in unmistakably strong terms about Terrell, publicly calling him the best boundary corner in the NFL. For Atlanta, that creates a real crossroads: the Falcons still need Terrell to look like a shutdown player, but now they have to balance confidence in his track record against the possibility that the decline is more than just a one-game blip. [Read more 🡒]