It took him a while, and for Miles Sanders to get hurt, but Jaydon Blue finally made his way to the field. However, the Dallas Cowboys' rookie running back hasn't done much to justify the extended opportunities so far.
His flaws were evident again in the 44-24 road loss to the Denver Broncos. And while his fumble ultimately didn't cost the team because the Broncos didn't recover, it certainly raised some alarms. Blue's ball-security issues have been a concern for years now, as NFL analyst Matt Wilson pointed out before the NFL Draft.
Jaydon Blue's Fumbles Could Cost The Cowboys
"Texas RB Jaydon Blue fumbled the ball once every 30 touches INCLUDING kick returns," Wilson wrote on X in April. "Thats the worst fumble rate in over 10 years for an NFL Draft prospect, and also why he didn’t see the field much until 2024. Despite the speed element being extremely exciting, his issues with pass protection and having incredibly small hands could be way too hard to ignore. 7th round/UDFA target for me."
During his collegiate career at Texas, Blue had six career fumbles, including four in the 2024 season.
The Cowboys still liked him enough to take him in the fifth round. Still, while the No. 149 pick showed some flashes in training camp and in limited snaps in the preseason, head coach Brian Schottenheimer still didn't sound too convinced about him.
There were some concerning reports about his work ethic, and Schottenheimer made sure to call him out when needed. Now, with Sanders out, the Cowboys don't have many more options to back up Javonte Williams.
Blue had eight carries for 29 yards in the loss to the Broncos, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry. Moreover, the bulk of his production came on a 14-yard carry. He wasn't targeted in the passing game, either.
For the season, he's up to 14 carries for 36 yards, averaging just 2.6 yards per attempt and 12 rushing yards per game. He also has one reception on as many targets for five yards.
The Cowboys also have Malik Davis and Hunter Luepke, but neither of them looks like a legitimate candidate to make much of an impact out of their backfield. Still, with Williams' history of injuries and all the ball-security concerns surrounding Blue, they should be looking to add another running back before the trade deadline.
As for Blue, his next chance to silence the doubters will come next Monday when his team hosts the Arizona Cardinals.