(Editor's Note: Time to check the mail! The DallasCowboys.com staff writers answer your questions here in 'Mailbag' presented by Miller Lite.)
Given Jaydon Blue's elite speed, pass catching ability and illusiveness, do you see the Cowboys potentially bulking him up to make him more of an every-down running back? Or will he always be looked at as a change-of-pace guy? The Cowboys have had 5'9" backs before (Emmitt Smith), but they were considerably thicker. – Kristian Key/Boerne, TX
Patrik: While I sincerely hope the Cowboys learned the harsh lesson of why the RB-by-committee approach can bite them in the rear end, I don't believe they're looking for a workhorse/bell cow back in 2025. That means Blue won't be tasked with being one, and that's a good thing — if done correctly. To me, doing it correctly looks like taking this home run hitter and mixing in handoffs with plays that get him in space, and a lot, including being a receiver out of the backfield on screens and bubbles. Can he do some heavy lifting a time or two? Sure, but why wear him down in a way that would lessen his impact in the other aforementioned ways? And why bulk him up when it might "slow" him down (note the air quotes)? When it comes to Blue, I wanna see him applying pressure in space far more often than I'd like to see him trying to get you three yards up the A gap on 4th-and-2 (looks at Phil Mafah and JaVontae Williams).
Kyle: I think that's the goal for every draft pick. Blue has all the "home run ability" but has some holes to fill in his game like pass protection and ball security. Luckily, he has two veterans and a rookie counterpart to learn beside during his first training camp. While it's rare for fifth-round running backs to make immediate impact, it's not impossible. In fact, Kyren Williams was a 5-foot-9 running back and fifth-round selection for the Rams in 2022. He's already made the Pro Bowl and become one of the best running backs in the NFL. Those would be lofty expectations for a player like Blue to accomplish, but it shows that it can be done in the modern era NFL.
Mailbag
Here's your chance to ask a question for the staff writers. Submit your entry now!
