Brian Schottenheimer just put Cowboys RB on notice

Jaydon Blue has done enough this spring to get the Cowboys’ attention again. Brian Schottenheimer made that clear as Dallas wrapped up minicamp.

The second-year running back entered the offseason needing to repair more than his place on the depth chart. Blue’s rookie year was derailed by inconsistent practice habits and questions about his maturity, and he admitted earlier this month that he “didn’t start off like I should’ve” in Dallas. 

He described himself as “a completely different person” heading into Year 2 after spending the offseason in the playbook and learning from veterans around him.

Schottenheimer sees it too.

“I think he’s come back with a different look on his face,” the Cowboys coach said. “I think he’s practicing better.”

That does not mean Blue has arrived. It means he has finally put himself back in the conversation.

Schottenheimer made it clear there is still real work to be done before Blue can be trusted as a meaningful part of the offense. Dallas likes the idea of pairing Blue’s speed with Javonte Williams’ power. 

The Cowboys have openly discussed this offseason that Blue will fill a change-of-pace role that includes backfield work, receiving duties, and special teams responsibilities.

But Schottenheimer also delivered the warning that matters most in June.

“This is not a knock at Jaydon, but right now we’re not playing real football,” Schottenheimer said. “I’ve seen a lot of great players that are awesome in shorts and then when you put the pads on, you’re like, man, what happened?”

That is the part of Blue’s offseason that now matters most. He has cleaned up the maturity concerns. He has practiced well enough to draw praise. He has put himself back on the radar after a rookie season that nearly buried him.

Now comes Oxnard.

That is where Blue will have to show that the progress is more than a good offseason story. If he can handle pass protection and hold onto the football, the Cowboys may finally have the backfield weapon they thought they drafted last year. He needs to keep producing once the pads come on. If not, all of this praise will stay where it started, in June.

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