The Dallas Cowboys' Week 4 showdown with the Green Bay Packers is ripe with storylines, highlighted by Micah Parsons' return to AT&T Stadium. Another thread that has Cowboys fans' attention is just how much playing time rookie running back Jaydon Blue will see during Sunday Night Football.
Blue appeared to be the future of Dallas' backfield when he was drafted 149th overall in April, but Javonte Williams' strong start to the season has the rookie's debut on hold. The ex-Texas Longhorn has been a healthy scratch in each of the Cowboys' first three games, and it turns out that the lack of playing time stems from the team's defensive struggles, according to head coach Brian Schottenheimer on Friday.
"Unfortunately, we’ve been a little bit heavier on the defensive side when you look at the roster construction on game day," Schottenheimer said on 105.3 The Fan (h/t @tommy_yarrish). "In no way, shape, or form is Jaydon doing things that would not allow him to be activated. It’s been more of the fact that we’ve needed the numbers with some of the injuries and stuff on defense."
Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer Blames Jaydon Blue's Pending Debut on Defense
It's no secret that the Cowboys' defense has been among the NFL's worst units through three weeks. Injuries and poor play from defenders have left Dallas with some of Pro Football Focus' worst grades when it comes to:
- Overall defense: 49.7 (31st)
- Run defense: 45.4 (31st)
- Pass rush: 63.7 (24th)
- Coverage: 45.6 (27th)
As one of the worst teams in almost every defensive facet, it makes sense why Schottenheimer & Co. would want as many defenders available as possible each week. At the same time, Blue is going to have a tough time proving himself to the offensive staff if he can't get on the field.
Perhaps the 21-year-old runner would already be playing if the backfield were a mess, but that hasn't been the case. Williams has already turned 43 carries into 227 rushing yards and three touchdowns, all while averaging a career-high 5.3 yards per attempt. Even Miles Sanders has posted an 18-109-1 stat line; however, 49 of his yards came off a single run, which means he's averaging only 3.5 yards on the other 17 attempts.
If Sanders can't show more juice when he's given the ball, the Cowboys need to give Blue a chance. The dynamic rookie tallied a personal-best 176 touches for 1,098 scrimmage yards and 14 TDs in his final year with the Longhorns, and fans of America's Team would love to see a similar impact at the NFL level.
Hopefully, Dallas' defense turns things around so Schottenheimer can stop having an excuse not to play Blue. The 2025 season is the perfect time for the Cowboys to experiment with what they have, and they can't do that with Blue as long as he's in his street clothes.