‘We have backup plans’ – Brian Schottenheimer provides update on Dallas Cowboys’ concerning situation going into preseason opener
Cowboys fans might have to wait to watch Jaydon Blue rocking the Star on gameday.
Running back Jaydon Blue is near the top of the list of the most intriguing players to watch during the Dallas Cowboys’ preseason.
A fifth-round rookie, Blue has turned heads in practice thanks to his speed and explosiveness and in an unproven RB room, he has a legitimate chance of skyrocketing to the top of the depth chart at some point of the 2025 NFL season. But Cowboys fans hoping to watch him in Saturday’s preseason opener versus the Los Angeles Rams would be wise to temper expectations.
That’s because despite Blue’s injury not being considered “serious,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer didn’t confirm the rookie would play and instead admitted the team has backup plans in place for the weekend.
“We’re a little bit challenged,” Schottenheimer told reporters Friday. “We’ve got some good backup plans organized. We’ve got some athletes that you guys might see tote the rock a little bit, and we’ll do some fun things with those guys.”
Blue suffered a heel injury after being stepped on at Thursday’s training camp practice. Schottennheimer added he’d get updates on the rookie’s situation before making a decision. Miles Sanders has missed multiple practices with a leg injury himself and Deuce Vaughn returned to practice on Thursday after missing over a week due to a hamstring injury.
“We’re a little thin at that spot, but that opens up opportunities for other guys,” Schottenheimer said. “And again, you guys know I’m big into cross-training, and hopefully we stay pretty healthy in this game.”
Following Schottenheimer’s press conference, the Cowboys signed Malik Davis, who is reuniting with the team he was a part of from 2022 to 2024. It’s likely Davis is signing with Dallas as a “preseason body,” with little chances of making the roster.
Players to watch at running back with Jaydon Blue’s status up in the air
I am assuming projected starter Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders won’t go because they’re the team’s vets at the position. However, here’s a list of players to watch closely:
- Deuce Vaughn: The third-year back faces an uphill battle to make the team and he badly needs a big preseason performance to insert himself back into the conversation.
- Phil Mafah: Nothing is guaranteed for the seventh-round rookie but the Cowboys head coach has praised his work at camp.
- Hunter Luepke: Specifically, I’m looking into whether or not the Cowboys’ fullback gets handoffs. He has the makings of a good power back and I’d love to see him be more involved in the run game.
- KaVontae Turpin: Who knows if the Cowboys would be willing to risk their All-Pro returner in August but Turpin has been working out of the backfield in Oxnard, California. Why not get him to carry the rock in game action?