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Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue.

The knock on Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue, dating back to his days at the University of Texas, has been that he doesn’t work hard enough. That he’s lazy. That he’s not invested in becoming the best version of himself.

While Blue seemed to understand the criticism at the start of his rookie year with the Cowboys, even a smidge of success early on seemed to throw him off. Now, It’s hard to look at his rookie year as anything but a disaster after that — the 2025 5th-round pick only played in 5 games with 129 yards, 1 touchdown, and averaged an anemic 3.4 yards per carry.

Fortunately for Blue, he’s getting another chance from the Cowboys, almost out of necessity more than anything else, and it appears he’s taking it seriously.

“We kind of put it all out there, put all the cards on the table,” Schottenheimer told ESPN’s Todd Archer on June 25. “He didn’t like being inactive, and I was very honest with my opinion of why he wasn’t active. So we had some really great conversations. He took that, he ingested it, took it in and he’s come back with a great look on his face and a great work ethic.”

By needing Blue out of necessity, that means the Cowboys simply invested heavily in starter Javonte Williams, giving him a 3-year, $24 million contract after he rushed for a career-high 1,200 yards in 2025. Simply put, Dallas didn’t have the draft capital or the money to spend on another running back — that’s the biggest reason Blue is getting another chance.

Playing on a 4-year, $4.62 million contract, Blue is the best (and least expensive) option the Cowboys have to add depth in the backfield right now.

‘Maturity and Trust’ Issues Holding Jaydon Blue Back

In May, Archer put Blue on his list of Cowboys with the most to prove in OTAs.

“His rookie season was essentially a wash because he was inactive for 12 games,” Archer wrote on Thursday. “There were questions of maturity and trust for last year’s fifth-round pick, which is why Malik Davis got more work later in the season. Blue played only 78 snaps; 33 came in the finale versus the New York Giants. He finished the season with 129 yards on 38 carries, a touchdown, and one reception for 5 yards. The Cowboys re-signed Javonte Williams to lead the backfield, but the No. 2 running back spot is open with Blue, Davis, and Phil Mafah competing for time. Blue has the speed to be a playmaker. Many coaches believe players make their biggest jump between their rookie and second seasons. The Cowboys hope that’s the case for Blue.”

Jaydon Blue’s ‘Questionable Decision’ on LV Cleats

Blue and Williams were splitting 1st team reps deep into training camp before ankle injuries sidelined Blue, who seemed to be his own worst enemy when it came to getting back into the lineup.

That was made obvious in October, when Blue decided to practice in bespoke Nike/Louis Vuitton cleats that gave him blisters and forced him to sit out.

Schottenheimer was left less than impressed by his rookie’s fashion choice.

“Cowboys RB Jaydon Blue debuted new Louis Vuitton-Nike cleats at practice on Thursday, and HC Brian Schottenheimer laughed in saying that it was a ‘questionable decision.’ ” The Fort Worth Star Telegram’s Nick Harris wrote on his official X account on October 3. ” … Blue changed out of his shoes, and the blisters got better.”