Last weekend, Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Jaydon Blue finally made his long-awaited debut after being inactive for the first four games of the season. Cowboys fans were excited to see Dallas give the rookie a shot, which only happened due to Miles Sanders being banged up.
The 28-year-old Sanders missed last week’s game due to knee and ankle injuries. The rookie running back didn’t play a ton (14 total snaps, 11 on offense), as he only had seven yards on four carries and a 32-yard return. It wasn't a debut that Cowboys fans will remember for years to come, but it was the first step toward what Dallas hopes is a solid career in the Lone Star State.
Cowboys fans hope to see Blue take that next step heading into this week’s game against the Carolina Panthers, but that opportunity depends directly on what happens with Sanders. On Wednesday, Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News reported that the veteran RB returned to practice, but then walked off on his own 20 minutes into the session.
Miles Sanders Returns to Practice, But Status Still Unclear for Week 6
If you’re the Cowboys, it’s good to see Sanders back on the practice field after he didn’t practice at all last week. However, it’s not encouraging that the veteran running back walked off the field just a short time after
The veteran running back joined Dallas this offseason with the possibility of competing for the RB1 spot with Javonte Williams. Williams has clearly won that battle, as he is turning in one of the best seasons of any running back in the league thus far.
However, an unimpressive showing from Sanders in the preseason, along with Williams turning back the clock to his rookie season in 2021, has made the former Penn State standout a non-factor. Now, you include the emergence and excitement of a rookie running back, and the veteran is not in a good spot.
Speaking of Blue, it will be interesting to see if the Cowboys give him more snaps this weekend, especially if Sanders is out or limited because of the ankle. Dallas is going up against a Carolina defense that has allowed 107.2 rushing yards per game and 4.5 yards per carry.
The 21-year-old running back has elite-level quickness and is a home run threat to break a long run whenever he touches the ball, which is the perfect complement to what you get from Williams. It’s also worth mentioning that Blue can be utilized as a pass catcher out of the backfield, which Dallas didn’t even attempt to use in last week’s game.
Therefore, a lot of what the Cowboys could potentially do on offense in the running back room will hinge on what Sanders’ health is over the next 48 hours.