FRISCO, Texas – On Sunday, Cowboys rookie running back Jaydon Blue is expected to make his NFL debut on the road against the Jets.
With so many injuries to Dallas' offense, including RB Miles Sanders being questionable going into Sunday afternoon, the time is now for Blue to make his long-anticipated introduction to the offense.
"Very excited," Blue said. "I've waited my time, I've stayed patient. I always was told to trust the process and I knew eventually if I was to stay consistent and work hard that my time would come…"
"It was a part of the plan. I'm just excited that I finally get to go out there and showcase my skills."
With KaVontae Turpin ruled out with a foot injury, Blue could also be utilized as a returner on special teams. The Cowboys haven't tipped their hand as to who will return kickoffs and punts, but Blue is ready to go if he's called upon.
"I feel good," Blue said. "I've been working back there since I've been here, so I'm very confident in my ability to be able to return the ball and the game plan that coach Nick [Sorensen] has. I'm very confident and I'm ready."
Over the course of the last few weeks, it has not been easy for Blue to sit off to the side and not contribute like he did during his final season at Texas. That said, he was still able to take things away from being on the sideline and watching his teammates.
"With the love for the game that I have, it's been tough not being able to be out there and play," Blue said. "But it's also been fun seeing the other guys have fun and do what they do. It's been a blessing to watch the older guys and the vets that've been doing it for a minute."
He's gotten an up-close and personal view of the strong start to the year that Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders have had for the Cowboys rushing attack, and has grown connected to his veteran teammates.
"Just how to be a pro…" Blue said when asked what he's learned from Williams and Sanders. "Javonte and Miles are two older guys in the room, they do all the things right. They practice the right way and those are two guys that I talk to every day and I'm very close with."
As Brian Schottenheimer and the Cowboys coaching staff have mentioned over the last few weeks, consistency is one of the things that they wanted to see from Blue before putting him out on the field. Schottenheimer had a conversation with Blue about two weeks ago about it, and Blue took it to heart.
"[Schottenheimer] let me know that I needed to be a little more consistent, because the talent level was there.," Blue said. "He just told me I could be more consistent, and I was kind of seeing it for myself. I just knew that in order for me to get on the field that I would have to change some of the things that I did and practice a little harder."
What are some of the changes that Blue made?
"Just making sure that I'm finishing the right way and practicing hard. Staying in the playbook, just making sure that I'm doing the small details right so I can be able to perform at the highest level…" Blue said.
"How I prepare is being more detailed, just the little small things. Whether that's a play, making sure that I'm being where I was supposed to be on time, being engaged in meetings and stuff like that."
Now, it seems like the wait is over. The advice that Blue got from from Schottenheimer, offensive coordinator Klayton Adams and running backs coach Derrick Foster was very simple: Just go out and play football.
"They know I have the talent, they know I know what I'm doing. Just go out there and have fun is the message they tell me," Blue said. "Don't go out there tight, just go out there and play the game the right way."
