After losing the last two games that individually qualified as “must-win,” the Dallas Cowboys have effectively played themselves out of the playoff picture. While the slimmest of slim chances remain, it’s a number that falls smaller than one percent making it a dream no right-minded person would seriously entertain. The lost hope of the postseason opens the door to wild possibilities in the remaining three games of the regular season. One player who could walk through that door is Cowboys’ rookie running back, Jaydon Blue.
Drafted in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft, Blue was a fan favorite from the start. Blessed with elite game-breaking ability that translates to the running and passing game, Blue brought speed and a hometown smile to a Cowboys team in desperate need of a running back to replace the recently departed Rico Dowdle.
As fortune would have it Dallas found their replacement to Dowdle early in camp, it just wasn’t the addition everyone thought it would be, rather it was the veteran free agent pickup, Javonte Williams. At no point did Blue challenge Williams for the RB1 spot and as summer training camp unfolded, the rookie quickly fell out of favor with the Cowboys’ coaching staff.
Through 15 weeks this season Blue has only been active for four games. In that time, he’s logged 22 rushing attempts for 65 yards on a paltry 3.0 yards/carry average. Dallas’ success rate when handing Blue the rock has been just 36.4 percent, making him one of the least effective playmakers on the roster, thus explaining why he hasn’t been active since October.