The 2025 preseason has been one to forget for the Dallas Cowboys; the sloppy performances have been hard to watch, and the notable absences, like rookie Jaydon Blue, have hurt the excitement for those games.
Luckily for the Cowboys offense and their fans, the Blue debut is just hours away, as the team gets ready for its final preseason matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.
After being held out for the preseason, and a good bit of training camp for a heel/ankle injury, we are set to finally see what the former Texas Longhorn can do.
Despite his late selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, Blue remains one of the most important rookies in Dallas. Overall, he could become a key piece for the entire team if he flashes the explosive ability he had in college.
Needless to say, he will be important to watch tonight against the Falcons, so let’s discuss what the expectations are for his first in-game action.
Full Go? Injury Limitations? What Can Jaydon Blue Do?
From all inclinations, including from the man himself, Jaydon Blue is back to 100% and should play that way tonight.
Cowboys rookie RB Jaydon Blue (ankle) was a full participant in today’s practice. He didn’t have any limitations. “I’m feeling great. I feel I’m back to myself.”
“I think I was having a great camp before I went down. I’m just ready to showcase (what I can do) in a game Friday.” pic.twitter.com/hAi9nCVLbG
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 20, 2025
Blue has said he’s feeling “great,” and that he is ready to “showcase” what he can do against Atlanta. Some may say it’s just a preseason game, but this has to mean a lot for a guy who has battled his way back to his debut.
The one caveat here is whether Dallas, and more specifically Brian Schottenheimer, will use him as if he is all the way back.
They could play this thing a few different ways: first, they could try to capitalize on his recovery and get him up to speed, essentially letting him run wild. They could also do the opposite by avoiding any risk and keeping his snaps in check.
We’ve seen the Cowboys put a full focus on getting the young guys snaps, like with Joe Milton, for example. That should be the kind of night Blue has.
"It's not that we want Joe to win the job or Will to lose the job. We need to figure out more about Joe."
– Brian Schottenheimer #Cowboys https://t.co/GuSdGiTzLF
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) August 18, 2025
They’ve taken it slow with him, understandably, but the kid has been fully cleared and will need real work if he’s going to contribute early in the season. It should be the Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah show against the Falcons.
If it’s not, it will be a wasted opportunity by the coaching staff to get a peek at what’s ahead with their explosive rookie running back.
Really anxious to see what Blue can bring to the backfield. He had homerun hitting, angle defeating type speed in college, and hopefully that translates to the NFL. Also want to see if Milton looks any better than what he has shown so far.
I think it depends on what offensive linemen are playing tonite!! If it’s a good group of linemen then Blue should have a good nite!! But if they start the backups and border line roster players then we mite not see the best of Blue!!
Blue’s limiting factor will be injuries he will sustain. He’s not big enough at the position to take the pounding. I just don’t think he will make much of an impact for this Cowboy offense.
He’s not that small!! There’s been lots of RBs smaller than him that’s came to the NFL and had great careers!! There’s a few of them in the NFL right now that are really good RBs for their teams!! Just look at the rams RB!! He was the same size as Blue when he was drafted, and look at him now!! He’s one of the best RBs in the NFL!! So don’t think Blue can’t make an impact just because he’s smaller than most of the other RBs in the NFL!! Blues speed and cutting ability will make him an impact player!! And he’s a threat to score every time he touches the ball!! And he’s a great receiver too, so he can impact the game in more than one way!! He’s gonna be a really good RB, and you’ll see that petty soon!!