The Cowboys were hoping Jaydon Blue could give their running back depth chart a jolt this preseason. A fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft (No. 149 overall), he brought with him a resume built on late-college momentum. By the end of 2024, Blue had cemented himself as a dynamic, multi-phase weapon. He finished with 730 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns, added 42 receptions for 368 yards and 6 more scores, and showcased explosiveness at the NFL Combine with a 4.38 40-yard dash and a 10’3” broad jump. Brian Schottenheimer saw him as the RB2 behind presumed starter Rico Dowdle. That opportunity, at least for now, is on hold.
Instead, they’ll have to wait. The rookie out of Texas is dealing with a bruised foot/ankle and will miss the Cowboys’ preseason opener against the Rams at SoFi Stadium. He’ll be in a walking boot as he recovers, according to Patrik Walker, not a long-term injury, but enough to cost him crucial early reps.
Patrick reported on X: “Update: Jaydon Blue will wear a walking boot as he rests a bruised foot/ankle. Not a serious injury, but you can likely count him out of the #Cowboys preseason opener vs. #Rams. As I noted on @TalkinCowboys this morning, Jake Ferguson’s back is not [a] concerning injury.”
update: Jaydon Blue will wear a walking boot as he rests a bruised foot/ankle. Not a serious injury, but you can likely count him out of the #Cowboys preseason opener vs. #Rams.
as i noted on @TalkinCowboys this morning, Jake Ferguson’s back is not concerning injury.
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) August 8, 2025
Blue suffered a bruised foot/ankle during the August 7 practice after an awkward fall that stemmed from a facemask by defender Sam Williams. He fumbled on the play and took several minutes to get up. Though he limped off under his own power and the team doesn’t believe the injury is serious, he’s now in a walking boot and is expected to miss the August 10 preseason opener vs. the Rams.
An MRI later revealed a bone bruise to the heel, not a long-term issue, but enough to make him miss a crucial game. That’s a tough break for a player who had been one of the clear risers in camp.
Brian Schottenheimer faces his first NFL test
For Brian Schottenheimer, Saturday’s preseason opener was never just another August scrimmage. It’s his first game as the Cowboys’ full-time play-caller. The first chance to show how this offense runs with him in charge, not Mike McCarthy. The first-time fans get to see what Dallas’ identity might look like post-Kellen Moore, post-Tony Pollard, and post-scripted offseason talk.
The Dallas Cowboys haven’t had the best of luck when squaring off against the Rams in the preseason over the past decade. If you look closely, they’ve faced off just four times in the last nine years, and the Cowboys have come out on top only once.
It started in 2016, when Dak Prescott was a rookie and the spotlight was just starting to turn toward him. That night in Los Angeles, Dallas fell short in a high-scoring affair, losing 24–28. A year later, in 2017, they met the Rams again at the Coliseum, this time in a more conservative defensive scrap. Still, the Cowboys couldn’t get over the hump, losing 10–13.
They finally cracked through in 2019, but even that win came far from home, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. Dallas eked out a 14–10 victory, driven by strong play from the second unit and a little preseason grit. But since then, the Rams have returned the favor. Most recently in 2024, when Brian Schottenheimer was their OC. Both teams met at SoFi Stadium, and it was another one-possession game that didn’t go Dallas’ way. The Cowboys dropped it 12–13, marking yet another close-but-not-quite performance against Los Angeles in the preseason.
But that vision takes an early hit with Blue out. While not a centerpiece of the offense, Blue was set to see significant touches, especially in the second half. Now? That load shifts to Deuce Vaughn and Phil Mafah.
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