No one knows when Jaydon Blue will make his first appearance with the Dallas Cowboys, but it feels like it’s getting closer. When the Cowboys drafted him in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft, they were hoping he would instantly provide the juice to their new-look running game. What everyone’s gotten is four weeks of inactive status and no clear explanation as to the “when” and “why” of the situation.
As a draft prospect, Blue was about as green as they come. His inexperience in college made him more of complementary prospect than a bellcow solution. His homerun speed and effectiveness in the passing game made him an ideal pairing for the veteran Javonte Williams. And while Williams has fulfilled his end of the bargain – with flying colors – it’s the veteran Miles Sanders, not Blue, who’s laid claim to the No. 2 role.
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Sanders, playing his seventh season, is far from an impossible hurdle to overcome. His success rate running the ball is a respectable 45 percent but his EPA/rush is swimming in negative territory at -0.09. He’s tackled for loss at a higher rate than Williams while also producing explosive plays at a lower rate. If there’s one thing Blue can offer it’s an improvement on those explosive play numbers and it’s why so many Cowboys’ fans have been scratching their heads at all his healthy scratches.
With Sanders’ health status in question for Week 5, many are wondering if this will be the week Dallas’ top RB draft pick makes an appearance. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has been noncommittal on the issue but he’s keeping hoping hope alive.
In all fairness, the Cowboys offense has been doing just fine without Blue. Their offense leads the NFL in yards and is pushing for pole position in points and EPA. The last thing they need is a fumble-prone rookie coming in and messing things up. Yet, it’s hard not to notice the lack of game-breaking speed out of the backfield. Someone like Blue could take the offense to the next level provided he kept a grip on the football.
Questions in pass protection and playbook knowledge might also be in play. Dak Prescott frequently makes calls at the line and needs smart players who know how to adjust instantly. With poor pass protection coming from the two tackle positions, Prescott needs RBs he can trust to help with double-teams, chips and blitz pickup. Bad RB play has ended seasons for QBs in the past and no amount of homerun ability can make up for a potential injury to Prescott.
It’s likely Schottenheimer’s been sending Blue a message. Hype and potential are not enough to get the rookie on the field because he needs to be knowledgeable and consistent for the offense can trust him. Setting the expectation today with tough love will hopefully pay dividends tomorrow.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys’ tough love for RB Jaydon Blue will pay off down the road