Cowboys’ rookie Jaydon Blue ‘very close’ to making NFL debut
In training camp, rookie running back Jaydon Blue shined in the early weeks out in Southern California before going down with an ankle injury that kept him out of two games in the preseason. Despite earning a healthy amount of first-team reps prior to the injury, Blue hasn’t been able to get that status back since returning. However, he could be closing in on his NFL debut.
Through four weeks, Blue has been on the inactive list, as starter Javonte Williams and backup Miles Sanders have been the active players at the position group instead. Williams has shined as one of the top running backs in the NFL through four games and Sanders, aside from a crucial week one fumble in Philadelphia, has been productive in a backup role.
When asked about the decision to not make the 2025 fifth-round pick active, head coach Brian Schottenheimer has mentioned multiple times wanting to see more consistency out of him in practices. His role has become important on the practice field, as he has offered the Cowboys defense the scout look at each opponent’s running backs early in the year.
“He’s extremely talented,” Schottenheimer said after he was on the inactive list in week one. “He really is talented, but there is a way you have to perform, especially with a mantra of ‘compete every day.’ If you’re not putting it out there and doing right every day and if you take a step back on a Thursday -- maybe you did great on Wednesday but on Thursday, not saying he did -- that’s going to get noticed.”
Well, the tone is beginning to change on Blue heading into week five, as Schottenheimer offered more optimism in his Monday presser toward Blue’s potential availability.
“[He’s] very close,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s practicing really, really well. I challenged him a few weeks ago on being consistent. He’s done that. He’s becoming one of our best offensive practice squad players. He gives the defensive an incredible look with the speed and playmaking ability, so [he’s] very close.”
After a week four matchup against the Green Bay Packers that saw Sanders leave in the second half with an ankle injury, pressure was put on Williams as the only traditional running back on the roster (fullback Hunter Luepke also factored in) to play the position in crunch time.
“It was a little bit of a scramble yesterday when Miles went out,” Schottenheimer said.
The issue could make the offensive staff activate Blue as an extra body going into the team’s week five matchup against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
Drafted in the fifth round of April’s draft, Blue went to the University of Texas where he accounted for 1,098 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior on the ground and in the receiving game. At the NFL Combine, Blue recorded the second-fastest 40-yard dash time among all running backs in attendance with a time of 4.38 seconds. In his one preseason appearance after returning from the ankle injury, he carried the ball nine times for 25 yards and a touchdown.
This story was originally published September 30, 2025 at 4:55 PM.
