The Jaydon Blue experiment didn't exactly go according to plan for the Dallas Cowboys, to put it mildly. The Harris County kid and former Texas Longhorn was supposed to be a major factor in Brian Schottenheimer's backfield, a yin to Javonte Williams' yang.
That, unfortunately, never came to fruition. And things came to a sudden end on Sunday afternoon when the Cowboys stunningly waived the young running back at roster cutdowns, subjecting him to the waiver wire. He was not brought back on Dallas' practice squad after clearing waivers.
And Blue only has himself to blame, as he didn't perform well enough on the field to warrant a roster spot, and some reportedly questionable character and maturity concerns barred him from even being ultimately worth a project to keep around in Dallas. It was quite the fall from grace for Blue.
But just when Cowboys fans' long-held frustrations with him were turning into apathy, thanks in part to Emari Demercado being everything that Blue wasn't, this fanbase got dragged right back in. Because now, the 2025 5th-round pick is signing with the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad.
Fortunately, Dallas' heated division rival is about to learn exactly why Blue failed with the Cowboys.
Cowboys fans can't even be upset at Jaydon Blue signing with Eagles
Let's start with the on-field stuff. Blue is a talented pass-catcher and has great burst and athleticism when he gets into the open field. He can make guys miss when he's playing his best football, and that can be an asset for a team. However, that's who Blue can be. Not who he is.
For the most part, Blue failed to establish any momentum in Dallas because he simply doesn't run hard between the tackles or keep his legs churning. He couldn't be relied on. I'm not calling him a low-effort player, but he doesn't have an aggressive running style that strikes fear into defenders.
Plus, as with most young backs, his pass protection skills were practically non-existent. Blue didn't have many miscues in pass pro last year because Brian Schottenheimer never asked him to do it. Blue ran routes on 25 of his 31 snaps in which they passed the ball. That showed little faith in him.
Not to mention, Blue still hasn't corrected his long-standing fumble issues, and ball security is everything in the NFL. Eagles fans are going to learn the hard way that, while Blue is a fun youngster in a lot of ways with upside, it's not like you can count on him to be consistent or reach that ceiling.
Jaydon Blue has an uphill battle in the Philadelphia running back room
Blue is starting out at the bottom of the totem pole in Philadelphia, as he'll be on the practice squad to begin the 2026 NFL season, it seems. Already on the Eagles' practice squad, though, are veteran Dameon Pierce and Carson Steele. Not to mention, they already have a strong trio on the roster.
Saquon Barkley is Saquon Barkley, and he's the bellcow. Tank Bigsby is a solid No. 2 behind him, and Will Shipley is no slouch as the third-down back. It is possible that Blue is effectively the No. 6 running back in the pecking order in the City of Brotherly Love. Those are some Rocky-sized steps to climb.
With limited reps for practice squad players this time of year anyway, Blue is even more up against it, as he is splitting those up with three other backs. That's not exactly a long or open runway for him to make an impression across the NFC East.
Look, Blue being a late addition to the Eagles' practice squad could simply be a reconnaissance mission by Nick Sirianni and Howie Roseman as they continue to fear the Dallas Cowboys' imminent rise in the division. Stuff like that happens all the time in this league.
In the event that they are counting on, or even hoping, that Blue turns into a high-end or even complementary running back for them, though, the Eagles will be gravely disappointed. It's always possible that Blue found the right situation in Philly and he becomes what Dallas hoped he'd be.
However, it seems more likely at this point that Blue ends up showing Sirianni and Co. exactly why he failed with the Cowboys.
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