The Cowboys still have a few roster edges to smooth out, and one of the more interesting ones sits in the backfield. Jaydon Blue, the second-year running back ESPN labeled a “disappointing player,” is showing signs he could turn into a real weapon for Dak Prescott’s offense.
That label came with a caveat: Dallas was let down last season by how long it took Blue to adjust to the NFL. Dan Graziano reported that the Cowboys felt they couldn’t lean on him much at the time, but that outlook has changed.
“The Cowboys were disappointed last season that he was taking a while to mature as an NFL player,” Dan Graziano wrote. “And as a result, they didn't think they could use him much. But they say they feel he has shown improvement in key areas, and they foresee a role for him as a super-speedy back who can bring juice to the offense.”
For now, Blue looks more like a specialized third-down option than a direct backup to Javonte Williams. Graziano described a setup where Dallas could turn to Malik Davis for early-down work if Williams were to miss time, while Blue keeps the “juice” role the team has in mind for him.
“Dallas likes the RB room overall, so if something happened to Williams, it could slide in someone like Malik Davis as the early-down guy and keep Blue in whatever the “juice” role is that it has planned for him,” Graziano wrote.
Blue’s own camp work backs up the idea that he’s settling in. He said the biggest shift has come from taking the details more seriously, especially when it comes to the playbook, according to dallascowboys.com.
“I'm just [focused on] stacking these good days out here,” said Blue. “I've just been more intentional. Like I said, this offseason, my main priority was making sure that I stayed in the playbook and was doing things that the coach was asking me to do.
“The game has slowed down a lot to me. It's kind of coming easy to me now.
I probably know the playbook like the back of my hand now. Once I know the playbook like that, I can play fast.”
Blue’s rookie year was quiet. He appeared in five games, ran 38 times for 129 yards and a touchdown, and added one catch for five yards. Still, the Cowboys appear ready to give him a bigger chance to matter this season, especially in the screen game if his training camp form carries over.
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