Cowboys RB2 battle gets complicated as second-year back shows up a changed player this offseason

Nairavoice | Jul 9, 2026 2h ago 77 0 2 min read

a6b24f51e4fdf2e20293aeab47f1a23e Cowboys RB2 battle gets complicated as second-year back shows up a changed player this offseason

Cowboys RB2 battle gets complicated as second-year back shows up a changed player this offseason originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Javonte Williams locked down his spot as the Dallas Cowboys‘ bell cow this offseason, re-signing on a three-year, $24 million deal after rushing for a career-best 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns on 252 carries in 2025.

So it is safe to say that the top of the backfield is totally set. It’s the RB2 spot right behind him that’s wide open, and honestly, it’s gotten way tougher to call than anyone expected a few months ago.

At first, Jaydon Blue was supposed to just walk into that backup role. Dallas took him in the fifth round out of Texas Longhorns. With his blazing 4.38 speed and great hands, expectations were high. Instead, his rookie year was a total flop.

He only active for five games, grinding out a quiet 129 yards on 38 carries while offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer openly called out his “consistency” issues. But since Jerry Jones completely sat out the running back market this offseason, they are forcing Blue to earn it in a wide-open training camp battle against Phil Mafah and Malik Davis.

That decision looks smarter now that Blue has owned his mistakes. Speaking to The Athletic’s Jon Machota, Blue did not dodge the criticism.

“I didn’t start off like I should have,” Blue said. “Maybe if it was not practicing the right way or just on a maturity level, I think I wasn’t really there. But just learning from all the vets, having the offseason that I’ve had, I think I’m ready to go.”

Dallas heavily lacked backfield explosiveness last season, as Williams ranked near the bottom of the league in explosive-play rate despite high efficiency. Blue’s skillset, including his 368 receiving yards and six touchdowns as a junior at Texas, gives the offense the change-of-pace element it lacks next to Williams’ downhill style.

None of that guarantees Blue the job. Mafah and Davis are still competing, and Blue’s brief rookie season is his only NFL film. But this backfield battle went from a total afterthought to a real fight. The Blue we are seeing now just isn’t the same kid who got benched last season.