The Cowboys’ decision to cut Jaydon Blue has thrown their backfield into a fresh round of uncertainty, and it leaves Dallas with a very real opening to bring in a veteran who knows how to handle a heavier load.
Blue, a fifth-round pick out of Texas just a year ago, is gone after what Brian Schottenheimer once described as being “night and day” compared to last season. With Malik Davis sitting in the RB2 spot, the Cowboys now have to decide whether that’s enough - or whether the better move is to shop for a bargain free-agent runner who can steady things behind the top option.
That’s where Austin Ekeler enters the picture.
The former NFC foe is coming off a torn right Achilles tendon he suffered early in the 2025 season with Washington, but he’s already been medically cleared to resume football activities this spring and is still unsigned. For Dallas, that makes him a name worth serious attention.
He’s a four-down back who can give you production on the ground and easy yards as a receiver, and his résumé is built for exactly that kind of role. Ekeler has posted four seasons with at least 1,000 yards from scrimmage, and in 2022 he put together his best year yet, leading the league with 1,637 total scrimmage yards and 18 touchdowns.
There’s also no sign he’s ready to walk away. Ekeler is eyeing the Las Vegas Raiders after Ashton Jeanty’s ankle injury in early August, which only adds to the sense that he’s still looking for the right landing spot.
From Dallas’ perspective, the appeal is obvious. A torn Achilles is a serious setback, but if Ekeler is cleared and wants to play, Jerry Jones could chase another low-cost veteran arrangement, much like the one-year, $5.5 million deal he gave pass rusher Von Miller.
Ekeler was on a two-year deal with Washington worth up to $11.43 million, but at 31 and coming off a major injury, he would not command that kind of money now. A short-term, no-drama agreement would make sense.
The Cowboys also already made a move to bring in Emari Demercado, who has ties to offensive coordinator Klayton Adams through Adams’ time as Arizona’s offensive line coach. Demercado, an undrafted TCU back from 2023, got some solid work with the Cardinals, and he gives Dallas another option if the team wants to make the position easier to manage.
Still, Davis has done enough to earn a place in the mix. He logged 52 rushing attempts for 250 yards and two touchdowns, and he turned in a strong preseason. But if Dallas wants a more proven veteran behind Williams, the door is wide open.
The Cowboys may already have their answer. If not, they’ve got every reason to keep shuffling - and Austin Ekeler fits the kind of move that could make sense fast.
In Other News...
Cowboys Trades With Steelers Just Changed More Than One Roster Plan
The Cowboys offseason dealings with Pittsburgh did more than just shuffle a couple of names onto a different depth chart. By the time the dust settled, Dallas and the Steelers had completed two separate player swaps involving George Pickens and Broderick Jones, along with draft-pick movement that stretched out into future years and even included a 2027 sixth-rounder changing hands and then going back to where it started.
For Dallas, the broader takeaway is how one set of trades can ripple through multiple roster plans at once. It is not just about adding or moving a player in the moment, but about how the compensation package and pick movement shape both teams flexibility going forward, which is why the full net result matters just as much as the headline names involved. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Just Sent A Strong Message About Dak Prescott's Backup Plan
The Cowboys have made a notable change behind Dak Prescott, switching their backup quarterback plan by releasing Joe Milton III and elevating Sam Howell into the No. 2 role. The move comes not long after Prescott signed his four-year contract extension, reinforcing that Dallas is fully committed to him as the starter while leaving the depth chart behind him in a more unsettled state.
Milton had flashed during the preseason, which made his departure a little more surprising, but roster needs won out as the Cowboys cleared room for running back Emari Demercado. For now, Howell becomes the next man up if Prescott ever misses time, and it leaves Dallas without much of a clear long-term succession plan at the game's most important position. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Just Sent A Tough Message To Jaydon Blue And Phil Mafah
The Cowboys backfield picture took another turn as the team trimmed its roster and reshuffled its practice squad. Dallas waived Jaydon Blue and Joe Milton, with the expectation that Milton could return on the practice squad if he clears the next step, while the club also moved to add Israel Abanikanda as another running back option behind the active roster.
For Blue and Phil Mafah, the message was less about effort than about competition, at least in the view of offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. Blue and Mafah were not retained on the practice squad after going unclaimed, and the Cowboys choice to keep moving at the position suggests the staff liked what it saw from other backs more in camp and the preseason. [Read more 🡒]