By most accounts, Blue wasn’t ready to go as a rookie. He owns that and professes that he’s already off to be a better start to the 2026 season.
“Just looking back on the things I didn’t do too well and some of the reasons I wasn’t on the field last year,” Blue said, “taking the stuff my coaches were saying and making sure I apply them, whether that’s this offseason or when I’m by myself.”
Boasting a 4.38 40-yard dash at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, Blue didn’t get out of the blocks until Week 5 last year when he made his pro debut. He sputtered to 7 yards on four carries during a 37-22 win over the New York Jets.
Williams had a pair of touchdowns and ran for 135 yards in the same game.
Williams’ starts (16), carries (252), yards (1,201), rushing touchdowns (11), scrimmage TDs (13), touches (287), and yard per carry (4.8) were each career bests forged during his first season for Dallas.
Williams, 26, was promptly rewarded for his efforts, inking a three-year, $24 million extension.
So where does that leave Blue?
Well, he’s likely to compete for the RB2 spot against Malik Davis and Phil Mafah. While that will play out – just as the QB2 battle between Joe Milton III and Sam Howell will – in training camp and the preseason, Blue put his best feet forward in the spring, according to his head coach.
“He’s doing great,” Brian Schottenheimer said, via The Athletic. “He came back with a different look than what he had his rookie year. I think most rookies have to figure it out. We had a very candid conversation at the exit interviews. We kind of put it all out there, put all the cards on the table. He didn’t like being inactive, and I was very honest with my opinion of why he wasn’t active.
“We had some really great conversations. He took that, he ingested it, took it in and he’s come back with a great look on his face and a great work ethic. (His) intelligence is off the charts. I mean, the guy is football brilliant. He really is. Obviously, his speed and his explosiveness. He’s going to be a huge part of what we want to do, but he’s got to continue doing his part, which he’s doing great right now. I would say (he’s) night and day from where he was last year.”
The 22-year-old Blue has the receiving potential and game-breaking ability to be a stellar change of pace from Williams.
If he can earn the reps this summer, Blue might well leave the bitterness of his first season in the dust of his second.
“I use it as motivation,” Blue said of his debut season. “Of course I want to be on the field. But at the same time, I know this is the NFL, so any week things can change. I just want to make sure that this year and upcoming years, that’s not a problem for me.”
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