It is only natural for teams to navigate injuries in training camp, but the Dallas Cowboys seemingly can't get through one practice without suffering a scare. On Thursday, it was star guard Tyler Smith who gave fans a scare when he left practice early for precautionary reasons.
The bigger development transpired before practice when running back Miles Sanders showed up in street clothes. Per Todd Archer of ESPN, Sanders is dealing with a slight bone bruise in his knee.
Recovery timelines for bone bruises can vary based on severity, but for context, Eagles wideout A.J. Brown missed two games last season with a knee bruise. Since Sanders’ injury is reportedly mild, his return could be quicker, though it’s still too early to know for sure.
Miles Sanders' knee injury shakes up Cowboys' running back competition
The proverbial door has been opened for Javonte Williams and Jaydon Blue. Sure enough, both backs took advantage of the extra reps.
Williams ripped off a nice run in team drills. He would have plowed over a defensive back but eased back as players are instructed to not be too physical. After all, Brian Schottenheimer ended practice early on Wednesday after a third skirmish broke out.
The 25-year-old later picked up a nice gain on a designed screen pass. While not earth-shattering plays, it was a strong practice for Williams while Sanders watched from the sideline.
Read more: Brian Schottenheimer sends loud Jaydon Blue message Cowboys fans can't ignore
The same can be said for Blue, who’s made a strong impression over the past few practices. After earning starter reps on Wednesday, he followed it up with another standout session.
Blue executed a nasty cutback on a carry and zipped past the secondary for a would-be touchdown. The former Texas Longhorn showed patience and decisiveness before making the cut and his speed did the rest.
Schottenheimer noted that Blue was slow to pick up the nuances of the position in OTAs and minicamp, but that he has put in the work behind the scenes since training camp and it shows. Schottenheimer later compared Blue to one of the NFL's most dynamic running backs of the last 20 years.
"The quickness and ability to accelerate into the hole, it's just different. He's got incredible lateral agility and quickness. ... He reminds me of a larger version of Darren Sproles. I don't use that lightly," Schottenheimer said.
It just shows Sanders can’t afford to miss too much time. Multiple Cowboys reporters believe he was pulling ahead of Williams for the starting job, but that progress could vanish if this bone bruise keeps him out too long.