The Dallas Cowboys disappointed fans who were banking on a breakout season from second-year running back Jaydon Blue in 2026 were let go, as he did not make the team's initial 53-man roster ahead of Week 1 against the New York Giants.
The Cowboys waived both Blue and fellow 2025 seventh-round pick Phil Mafah, leaving Malik Davis as the sole backup behind Javonte Williams.
This caps a fall from grace for the former Longhorns star, who went from a much-ballyhooed rookie with the physical talent needed to become a perfect Williams counterbalance to someone who wasn't even good enough to make the final roster.
Blue may need to look in the mirror after this reality check, as it seems like his inability to get in the good graces of this coaching staff due to issues off the field were perhaps the main reason that he was let go.
Jaydon Blue can only blame himself for missing Cowboys' 53-man roster
Blue wasn't very impressive on the field, as he carried the ball 38 times for just 129 yards and one touchdown in 2025 while dealing with a major fumbling issue. Most of that production came in the Week 18 finale when Dallas rested most of its starters.
Williams' emergence as a bell cow certainly cut into Blue's workload, but the Cowboys would have made time for a homegrown player if he had shown any agency to improve both as a ball-carrier and an all-around back.
The Cowboys were desperate for someone to emerge behind Williams. In the end, it was Malik Davis, who was signed off the street in August, who ran away with the job after Miles Sanders' season-ending knee injury. Ironically, Davis beat out Blue again this summer.
While this may sound like a vague criticism, Blue had often been dinged for a lack of professionalism and consistency by head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
Jaydon Blue's questionable professionalism may have contributed to Cowboys cutting him
With draft expert Dane Brugler confirming that there had been some scuttlebutt about Blue not being the gold standard when it comes to working hard behind the scenes, it became clear that Schottenheimer wasn't just being overly punitive.
The Cowboys' running back room is not very good behind Williams. Davis is a low-ceiling RB2 option, and Mafah was released, further clearing the runway.
If he had improved enough to where Dallas was able to trust him, Blue could have used his impressive physical gifts to change the scope of the offense, even if only as a third-down scat back.
Blue isn't the first Day 3 Cowboys pick who failed to make an impact. He won't be the last, and his struggles weren't the most crushing.
However, even if he reverts to the practice squad, it's clear that he went from a local standout with big plans at his feet to someone who is part of the cannon fodder due to his inability to endear himself to the coaching staff.
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