Jaydon Blue injury update: NFL insider reveals Cowboys RB's status for Week 1

Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue reportedly suffered a low ankle sprain in Friday’s preseason finale vs. the Atlanta Falcons, but is hopeful to be ready for Week 1, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Blue’s injury occurred in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys’ 31-13 preseason win over the Falcons on Friday, after which the rookie from Texas described it as “nothing serious.”

“I don’t think it’s nothing serious,” Blue said, per The Athletic‘s Jon Machota. “I’ve had ankles rolled plenty of times. I feel good right now.”

Blue went down with 13:17 left in the fourth quarter and the training staff quickly went out to check on him. He appeared to tweak his ankle on a run, but ended up walking off under his own power into the medical tent.

The Cowboys selected Blue with the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Texas, where he emerged as a key part of the Longhorns’ backfield. His injury comes with two weeks to go until the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, and Friday marked his first preseason action of the year after dealing with a knee issue earlier in training camp.

In the first three-plus quarters of Friday’s game, Blue totaled 25 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. He steps into a Cowboys running back room with some questions, even after the additions of Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders. Dallas also has third-year running back Deuce Vaughn on the roster.

Running back is a position in flux for the Cowboys this season and Blue could make significant contributions in his debut campaign. In fact, ESPN analyst and former Dallas lineman Marcus Spears said Blue could be an “unsung guy” in 2025.

“I think the Dallas offensive line is going to be one of the more physical and athletic offensive lines when it comes to zone schemes and as far as getting running backs in lanes and allowing them to use speed,” Spears said in June. “I’m looking forward to this rookie maybe shocking a lot of people.

“A lot of good stuff coming out on him when he was there for rookie minicamp and OTAs. The speed jumps off the page at 4.38. He could be an unsung guy that we could talk about a lot.”

— On3’s Grant Grubbs and Griffin McVeigh contributed to this report.