Cowboys rookie RB Jaydon Blue has yet to be active through his first three games in the NFL. But HC Brian Schottenheimer told 105.3 The Fan in Dallas that it's not a matter of the fifth-round pick disappointing coaches. Schottenheimer says the team has simply needed more defensive help on the game-day roster.
What They're Saying
Schottenheimer, via Tommy Yarrish of the team website: "Jaydon's actually put together a couple really good weeks of practice. ... We challenged him, we talked to him about consistency, working harder on the scout team and things like that. Man, it's huge. Give him credit; he's been terrific. Unfortunately, we've been a little bit heavier on the defensive side when you look at the roster construction on game day. ... In no way, shape, or form is Jaydon doing things that would not allow him to be activated. It's been more of the fact that we've needed the numbers with some of the injuries and stuff on defense."
2025 Fantasy Football Impact
OK, so it sounds like perhaps the span began with Blue not quite practicing the way that he should be ... but that the team and player have addressed and improved any such issues.
We have no reason to disbelieve Schottenheimer's explanation here. The Cowboys certainly haven't been a RB short of winning any game yet. The defense, on the other hand, has been atrocious.
Of course, that begs the question of how Blue can make his way onto the game-day roster. Assuming he's not switching to corner anytime soon, that might stay difficult.
That said, Miles Sanders remains a limited contributor. There's room for Blue to impress his coaches enough that he passes Sanders on the depth chart. And, of course, we see RB injuries all the time. Losing Sanders or Williams in a given week would likely activate Blue the following week.
Blue remains a stashable redraft asset if you have the bench space to play with. He's also not a must-hold, though, if you've been clutching, praying, and needing to drop more currently useful players for waiver pickups.
If he does make the game-day roster, Blue could quickly find a path to backfield receiving work. That was a strength of his at Texas and remains a weakness for both Sanders and Williams.