The Dallas Cowboys officially report to training camp this weekend, with their first official practice scheduled for Tuesday, July 22. That means football season is officially here, and we can finally see what their roster might look like heading into the 2025 season.
It will also be the debut of the 2025 rookie class, now that the entire group is signed and ready to go for camp. That includes Jaydon Blue, who is expected to have a big role on offense for the Cowboys. Running back was a big need going into the draft, but they opted to wait until Round 5 to grab one and that decision was met with a lot of criticism.
Blue is a highly explosive running back, but he’s not the most polished player, and fumbling concerns caused him to fall. He’s also under 200 pounds, so there is some concern about how he might fare running between the tackles. Still, the Cowboys loved his speed, and the hope is that he can play a role in the offense right away as a part-time player.
However, the rumblings out of Dallas don’t necessarily suggest that he is ready for that role. And if that’s the case, the Cowboys could be in a little bit of trouble at the position. In a recent Locked On Cowboys podcast appearance, former Cowboys coach Glenn “Stretch” Smith expressed concerns about the rookie running back from Texas.
Cowboys rookie RB Jaydon Blue raises concerns right before training camp
Smith said that coaches with the Cowboys have expressed that Blue is “borderline lazy” and that the team is not thrilled with his work habits. That isn’t a great sign for a fifth-round pick who is not only trying to earn a role on the offense, but also make the roster.
Blue was a part of OTAs and rookie minicamp, but there haven’t been any reports of him working with the first team yet. And this could explain why.
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Blue turned 21 in January, and the Cowboys are hoping that he can mature and become a professional over the course of his rookie contract. But for a team that desperately needs him to play during his rookie season, they’ll need him to grow up fast. And maybe that will happen during his first NFL training camp, but this isn’t a great sign coming out of Dallas regarding their rookie back.
It should be noted, too, that professionalism was a concern for Blue coming out of Texas. Here is what draft expert Dane Brugler of The Athletic said about Blue in his draft guide.
"Overall, Blue is a threat to make a house call at any point, especially as a receiving weapon out of the backfield, but NFL scouts say he may need time to learn what it takes to be a professional. His dynamic talent can upgrade a backfield."
If Blue’s work habits are as big of an issue as Smith and Brugler suggest, that means we could see a backfield of Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders to open the year with Blue on the bench or off the roster. And while both Williams and Sanders have plenty of NFL experience, there just isn’t a lot of upside or home-run ability with either player. That could make the offense a lot less explosive and effective.
Time will tell if Blue can turn things around in Dallas, but he is someone to keep a close eye on during training camp to gauge his progress and development. The Cowboys are clearly counting on him, but this is a concerning report, to say the least.