The Dallas Cowboys have delivered the first surprise of their 2026 roster cutdown, waiving running back Jaydon Blue. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the move, which sends a 2025 fifth-round draft pick packing after a turbulent tenure in Dallas. The Cowboys also waived Phil Mafah, a seventh-round pick from the same 2025 class, leaving serious questions about the depth behind starter Javonte Williams.

Blue’s cut is the stunner. Entering training camp, he appeared positioned to compete for the backup running back role. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer even said during the preseason that Blue and Mafah were in a tight battle for the No. 2 spot.

Mafah’s release was expected but Blue’s wasn’t. Dallas seemed to view him as Williams’ primary complement, and Schottenheimer spoke multiple times about the change-of-pace element Blue could bring to the offense with his speed, pass-catching ability, and contrasting skill set.

Let’s break down the explanation for waiving Blue, and why I think this says something positive about Schottenheimer’s regime. 

Trust issues cast a long shadow

Blue’s rookie season in 2025 was rocky, particularly because of trust issues that emerged between the player and the team. Despite his Day 3 draft status, Blue spent the majority of his rookie year as a healthy scratch. That was not the expectation when the Cowboys selected him. He was supposed to be a significant part of the running back room from the jump.

Schottenheimer said early in the offseason he and Blue had a “very candid conversation at the exit interviews,” in which they “put all the cards on the table.” For a while, the conversation seemed to have yielded results. The Cowboys head coach claimed Blue was night and day compared to his rookie year and his training camp reps positioned him as the favorite for RB2. 

Those concerns make the timing of this release all the more intriguing. Blue did not play in Friday’s preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints. Instead, the carries went entirely to Mafah, Israel Abanikanda, and Jashaun Corbin. Neither Blue nor Malik Davis played, which seemed to suggest their spots were secured.

Did some of those trust issues from 2025 resurface ahead of roster cuts? That is going to be a question Schottenheimer will surely have to address Monday.

Why it’s a positive sign of Schottenheimer’s regime

Schottenheimer said from Day 1 his priority was to build a winning culture. For the Cowboys to turn the page on two running backs who were picked in the NFL Draft a year ago shows a meritocracy approach from the coaching staff.

And if Blue’s departure was indeed about off-the-field concerns as much as on-the-field, even more telling. It’s not all about gaining yards but about consistency in work ethic and more. Again, we’ll probably find out more about the thinking behind the move when Schottenheimer addresses reporters on Monday.

But for now, this looks like a no-nonsense decision by the Cowboys staff.

What now for the Cowboys’ running back room?

The most surprising aspect of Blue’s release is the lack of a clear-cut running back who beat him for the spot. Malik Davis emerged as arguably the second-best back of the preseason, and perhaps it wouldn’t have been shocking for him to overtake Blue on the depth chart. But we didn’t see enough from Mafah to justify the move, given that he was also waived. 

Abanikanda was also waived.

For now, the Cowboys’ running back room remains a serious concern. The group includes Williams, fullback Hunter Luepke, and potentially Davis, who I’d assume makes the roster. Beyond that, the picture is thin.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cowboys add someone from the outside. Whether that’s a waiver claim from another team’s cuts or a veteran free agent, Dallas needs to address the position. For now, we wait.