The Dallas Cowboys face a critical question at running back as the 2025-26 season approaches. While they’ve locked down key pieces with Dak Prescott under center and CeeDee Lamb leading the receiving corps, plus hopes that George Pickens can unlock his massive potential as their No. 2 receiver, the ground game remains their biggest unsolved puzzle.
Ever since Ezekiel Elliott’s prime years ended, finding that feature back — who can take pressure off Prescott and break games open — has become an obsession. The question now is whether rookie Jaydon Blue can be that missing piece.
Will Jaydon Blue Play Against the Ravens?
Blue’s status for Saturday remains uncertain after dealing with a bone bruise in his heel. The fifth-round pick is essentially a game-time decision as the Cowboys evaluate his readiness.
Team medical staff plans to test Blue’s foot and ankle before kickoff to determine his availability. While he’s progressed enough to get out of the walking boot, Blue hasn’t practiced all week, making his participation questionable at best.
If Blue can’t go, expect Phil Mafah to see expanded opportunities. The Clemson product, selected in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, made a strong impression against the Los Angeles Rams in the preseason opener.
His running style catches attention – he squares his pads, maintains a low center of gravity, and proves difficult to bring down while driving forward through contact.
Phil Mafah. Preseason, Week 2. pic.twitter.com/efMPbylU8h
— Zareh Kantzabedian (@ZKantzFF) August 10, 2025
While Blue recovers on the sideline, Mafah has been making the most of his increased opportunities in camp. His versatility stands out – he’s not just effective between the tackles but can bounce outside and display enough speed to reach the second level when the blocking creates the right lanes.
The timing of Blue’s injury couldn’t be worse from a competition standpoint. Mafah has demonstrated impressive moves and shown a natural instinct for finding the end zone during his extended looks.
This is a great rep from Phil Mafah.
Vision? ✅
Balance? ✅
Elusiveness? ✅ pic.twitter.com/ji5NUHKUFv
— Mauricio Rodríguez (@MauNFL) August 11, 2025
Blue showed plenty of promise in camp before the injury struck, so there’s real potential that Dallas discovered a pair of gems in the late rounds. It’s early in the evaluation process, but the Cowboys could have their ideal scenario playing out.
In the best-case outcome, Blue and Mafah could form a dynamic one-two punch in the backfield, finally giving Dallas the ground game balance they need to reduce their heavy reliance on the Prescott-to-Lamb aerial connection. If either or both of these backs develop into reliable contributors, it would transform the Cowboys’ offensive identity completely.
