Former Texas Longhorn Jaydon Blue started training camp as the Dallas Cowboys No. 2 running back. But, in a surprise move, Dallas waived the second-year RB in the final cut before the regular season. Many believed Blue would make the Cowboys final 53-man roster.
Blue entered camp as the No. 2 RB behind Javonte Williams. But former Florida Gators RB Malik Davis won the backup job in training camp.
Davis can actually serve as an example for Blue. Dallas signed Davis as an undrafted free agent after the 2022 NFL Draft. The Tampa native has spent the better part of four years on the Cowboys practice squad before stepping up this year.
The Cowboys are making a notable change to their RB depth chart, parting with projected backup Jaydon Blue ahead of the NFL's 53-man roster deadline. https://t.co/epxZj4sXYj
The Cowboys picked Blue with the 149th pick in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The 5'9, 196-pound back impressed Dallas with his speed. Blue ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine despite a hamstring injury and then a more indicative 4.30 at the Texas Pro Day.

#jaydon #training

An offensive penalty followed by a sack moved Tennessee State football back to the 20-yard line on fourth down, but still well within reach of kicker Preston Hurless, who had a 47-yarder against Jackson State earlier in the John Merritt Classic at Vanderbilt's FirstBank Stadium on Aug. 29.
Hurless never got the chance to attempt what would have been a 37-yard field goal. Holder Truette Tumey had trouble handling a bad snap by Jaydon Vester, and Hurless was unable to even attempt to kick the ball.
Jackson State (1-0) held on for a 26-24 win in front of a near-capacity crowd of 32,467 in the season opener for both teams.
Second-year TSU coach Reggie Barlow said all three facets in the field goal kicking game failed on the bungled play.
"I think the snap was a little bit low and the holder had a little issue with timing to actually get it down," Barlow said. "And when he got it down, you know, for those kickers once they've got that rhythm before the ball gets placed, it kind of threw off production there."

#state #jackson #barlow #holder

An offensive penalty followed by a sack moved Tennessee State football back to the 20-yard line on fourth down, but still well within reach of kicker Preston Hurless, who had a 47-yarder against Jackson State earlier in the John Merritt Classic at Vanderbilt's FirstBank Stadium on Aug. 29.
Hurless never got the chance to attempt what would have been a 37-yard field goal. Holder Truette Tumey had trouble handling a bad snap by Jaydon Vester, and Hurless was unable to even attempt to kick the ball.
Jackson State (1-0) held on for a 26-24 win in front of a near-capacity crowd of 32,467 in the season opener for both teams.
Second-year TSU coach Reggie Barlow said all three facets in the field goal kicking game failed on the bungled play.
"I think the snap was a little bit low and the holder had a little issue with timing to actually get it down," Barlow said. "And when he got it down, you know, for those kickers once they've got that rhythm before the ball gets placed, it kind of threw off production there."

#hurless #yard #field

With cutdown day looming, the Cowboys continue evaluating difficult position battles across their roster with several young players making strong cases to stick around. One of the more intriguing developments is the backup quarterback competition where Brian Schottenheimer described Joe Milton and Sam Howell as "neck and neck" behind Dak Prescott.
Plenty of attention is also being paid to undrafted rookie free agent wideout Camden Brown and second-year running back Jaydon Blue. Brown's ascension has created an interesting scenario about how many receivers Dallas will carry, while Blue is fighting to prove he can provide versatility and physicality out of the backfield.
As the world bids their goodbye to music icon Dolly Parton, who passed away at the age of 80, sports fans mourn while fondly remembering her crossover contributions — namely her 2023 Cowboys Thanksgiving Day halftime show.
Here's how Milton's Saturday earned Cowboys QB Player of Game honors :: Cowboys Wire (Link)
Cowboys backup QB competition "neck and neck" heading into preseason finale :: ProFootballTalk (Link)

#blue #link

The Dallas Cowboys aren't nearly a finished product. There's still one more week left to go in the Oxnard portion of training camp and that includes a joint practice against the New Orleans Saints and another road trip, this one to face the Arizona Cardinals.
But Saturday was the first preseason game, and though most starters remained camped out on the sideline, key backups who could be called upon during the season got a lot of run. One key area that seems to be a bit deficient of talent is the backup offensive line, who failed to open up running lanes for backs Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer discussed the issues they had against the strong Seattle Seahawks' front on Saturday night, highlighting the team's inability to create rushing lanes.
A lot of moving parts, like I said, they threw a lot of things at us," Schottenheimer said via DallasCowboys.com. "I want to look at the film. Definitely some leaky moments, but early on especially, we struggled to move their guys up front. I think you'll see that. That's why the run numbers in the first half weren't very good."
Dallas started with an offensive line of, from left to right, Nate Thomas, Trevor Keegan, TJ Bass, Ajani Cornelius and fourth-round rookie Drew Shelton. Each had some solid snaps, but as a group they struggled mightily. Blue and Mafah combined for just 28 yards on 12 carries.

#schottenheimer #left #first #lanes

The Dallas Cowboys hoped for many things in their opening preseason contest in Seattle. First and foremost, they wanted to escape the Pacific Northwest without any major injuries. While some of their other goals have been accomplished, they did not escape unscathed.
One of the team's only question marks on offense is who is going to be the primary backup to running back Javonte Williams. Two second-year backs are leading the charge, but Dallas is going to have to hold their breath after one of them came up injured. 2025 seventh-round pick Phil Mafah left the game in the second half and has been ruled out from returning with a chest injury.
The Clemson alum presents a much different style of ball than his counterpart Jaydon Blue. While Blue has the inside track to be the change of pace back with his raw speed and acceleration, Mafah is a powerful back who also flashes some speed. He may be more in line to be a backup in case of injury, but now he's injured himself.
Dallas also has Malik Davis and Israel Abinakanda in the rotation if Mafah is going to miss any significant amount of time.
Mafah spent most of his 2025 season on the injured list, only getting snaps at the end of the regular season after the Cowboys had been eliminated from the playoff hunt.

#going #escape #backup

This has been a busy week for the Dallas Cowboys organization, as they square off against two other NFL teams and signed one of their top players to a huge contract extension. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams inked a monster deal that saved the organization $24 million in cap ***** e from his previous contract, with some interesting particulars. The signing works on two fronts for the organization; they lock up their defensive pillar for the future while also allowing more opportunities to make moves if the front office and coaching staff feel they're needed.
After facing the Los Angeles Rams in a joint practice on Tuesday, the team heads north to take on the defending Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks in the exhibition opener on Saturday. This will be the best chance for the coaching staff and front office to evaluate this roster, some players more than others. Players like Jaydon Blue, Michael Trigg, Justin Barron, and Alijah Clark are all looking to prove they belong on the roster, while others are hoping to solidify their position on the team.
Here's a look at the latest news and notes.
How To Watch: Cowboys vs Seahawks :: Cowboys Wire (Link)
Players 2 Watch: Keep an eye on these 6 players against the Seahawks :: DallasCowboys.com (Link)

#cowboys #seahawks #link

We are Warren Roberson days away from Texas football and it's time for Steve Sarkisian to start answering the questions around this team. The offensive line, particularly the left guard position, continues to be an area of concern that lacks a true answer.
A number of players have rotated throughout fall camp, including Laurence Seymore and Cole Hutson. As the season approaches, how concerned should Longhorns fans be about that spot and the offensive line as a whole?
One of the hardest things to discern during fall camp is position battles. It's nearly impossible to know the difference between a "good-on-good" battle and a "less of two evils" battle. For Texas, they now have four players that are truly vying for the starting LG spot. Usually, the more names you hear around a specific position, the worse. That's not a guarantee, just a pattern that has formed in the past.
Now, there is an obvious silver-lining around the LG spot that didn't exist a year ago: the talent level of the options. Laurence Seymore has been the perceived starter since he was added from the portal, and has gained remarkable praise from multiple defenders this offseason. Cole Hutson returns as a "high-floor" fail safe, with 23 career starts in Kyle Flood's system. Finally, Jaydon Chatman and Jackson Christian both bring unique ability and confidence in the Flood system to the table.
The left guard position needs to be answered before the Ohio State game. It could be, with the pads on this week, one player takes a firm lead in the competition. If not, don't be surprised if Flood turns back to Hutson, considering his experience. One way or another, walking into the Week Two bout against the Buckeyes without a cohesive unit is not an option.

#around #spot #week

Would it be a bad sign for the Dallas Cowboys if things were already breaking down on Day 1 of training camp?
Actually, that didn't happen with Dallas' sideline headphones at the Wednesday, July 29, practice, but coach Brian Schottenheimer and defensive coordinator Christian Parker let linebacker DeMarvino Overshown think that's what was happening.
Call it a test, and the Texas alum passed. Safety PJ Locke also did well on tests of a more serious nature, as his knee injury doesn't seem to be that bad. And Texas alum Jaydon Blue is off to a quick start in the battle for RB2.
Here is what Dallas is up to.
Dallas' first choice to wear the "green dot," typically a middle linebacker equipped with a headset so he can hear the coaches, is Texas alum Overshown and Schottenheimer said he passed his first test.

#alum #schottenheimer #linebacker #cowboys

Wednesday was the initial practice in Dallas Cowboys' training camp, and it didn't long for one of the team's offseason storylines to take center stage. There has been talk about running back Jaydon Blue having a much better second season than he did as a rookie, and that came to fruition early in practice.
After fellow second-year RB Phil Mafah was stripped of the football by Rashan Gary, Blue took over in the backfield on the next play, and showed off his game-breaking speed. The 45-yard touchdown run is the type of explosive play the Cowboys are hoping for with Blue this season.
The Cowboys offense boasts two elite weapons at wide receiver and a strong lead back with Javonte Williams, but they were lacking a home-run threat last season. Blue can be the lightning to Williams' thunder and his big play to kickoff training camp is exactly what the offense hopes to elicit from his touches.
If Blue is ready to take the second-year jump, the Cowboys' offense might be even better than they were in 2025. The only other player with Blue's type of speed is KaVontae Turpin, but the young RB out of Texas can be more of a reliable dynamic offensive weapon.
It didn't take long for Blue to get off to an electric start, which could be bad news for the defenses around the league.

#take #season

It's been a busy offseason for UNC basketball, which had to put together a roster for its first season under head coach Michael Malone while keeping an eye on the future.
The Tar Heels will have at least 10 new players on Malone's first roster around returners Jarin Stevenson, Jaydon Young and Isaiah Denis. Maximo Adams, Sayon Keita, Kevin Thomas and Malloy Smith are four freshmen set to join that group in Chapel Hill.
Looking beyond the 2026-27 season and ahead at future recruiting classes, Malone has scholarship offers out to 12 players in the 2027 class and five players in the 2028 group, according to 247Sports.
Here's a full breakdown of the players UNC has offered in the 2027 and 2028 recruiting classes, as of July 27.
A Rocky Mount native who started his career at Northern Nash High School before deciding to transfer to Southeastern Prep in Florida ahead of his senior season, Rosser is the top-ranked player in the 2027 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot-10, 195-pound forward just wrapped up his second unofficial visit at UNC and helped the U17 U.S. National team win the FIBA World Cup in Turkey. Rosser averaged 16 points per game and scored a team-high 23 points in the **** le game against Serbia. He could be the crown jewel of Malone's 2027 recruiting class.

#players #class #sports #roster

The Cowboys' offense carried the defense and special teams units in 2025, finishing second in both total offense and passing yards per game. They were a top-five unit in points scored and yards, and even their rushing yards per-game average was top-10. The defense underwent a complete overhaul after being one of the worst in the league, and special teams also took a significant hit with the loss of special teams coach John "Bones" Fassel.
This doesn't mean the team can sit on its hands offensively. They had a major drop-off in specific areas they need to improve on to become a contender in 2026, even with improvements on defense and special teams. To truly take the next step, the Cowboys must get better at opening drives, creating explosive runs, and scoring touchdowns in the red zone.
The Cowboys were a notoriously poor-starting team. That's expected on a defense so porous, but not on a high-powered offense. The team didn't score a first-possession point until a field goal in Week 5 versus the New York Jets. In the first four weeks, they had a turnover on downs, a fumble, and went three-and-out twice. They didn't score an opening drive touchdown until Week 7 against the Washington Commanders. Dallas ended the season with six turnovers on opening drives; they went three-and-out four times, scored three field goals, and four touchdowns. The hope is that the offense has started to figure some things out, with three of their four touchdowns in Weeks 15, 16, and 17. Their scripted plays to open games have to be more effective, and a coaching staff going into their second year has hopefully put in a lot of effort into that area. Not much personnel can help, with the same roster returning.
As much as Dallas can better their run game with an improved young offensive line and better game planning, this area could really break down to how much can Jaydon Blue be trusted to carry the ball and how well he produces. The Cowboys were 27th in the league last season with only 6.2% explosive runs per play. Javonte Williams had 26 rushes over 10 yards but only six explosive runs over 20 yards and only a single run over 40 yards. Blue needs to be able to receive 10 touches a game, at least five to eight rushes, and break some significant runs. No other running backs on the roster have his game-breaking ability. If Blue has matured and the coaches have a solid game plan for him, his presence could improve this area alone.
The Dallas offense was terrific overall, aside from their early mishaps and red-zone struggles. The team got in the red zone plenty, top five in red-zone attempts per game. Getting to that area was a bright spot, but their play once inside the 20 needs work. They were 16th in touchdown percentage at just under 57%, 20th in overall red zone scoring, and 25th in the percentage of red zone drives that ended in a turnover or a missed field goal. This has to be a significant area of improvement. The team had too many turnovers, especially on downs.

Why Jaydon Blue could become Cowboys starting running back in 2026 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jaydon Blue has to show the Cowboys something.
The fifth round running back from Texas was anticipated as a sparkplug. He was compared to Darren Sproles by his head coach. A red carpet of preseason hype became a dud on the field.
Blue had 38 carries for 129 yards and 1 touchdown in his rookie season. He didn't see the field the first four games.
But it's the dawn of a new day. The Cowboys signed veteran Javonte Williams to a 3-year deal but the backup role is wide open. In today's NFL a backup can work into a timeshare and even a starting role.