Eagles add Jaydon Blue to practice squad
The Philadelphia Eagles have signed running back Jaydon Blue to their practice squad, according to a Monday report from ESPN's Adam Schefter. The move comes a day after the Dallas Cowboys waived Blue as part of their final 53-man roster cuts.
Blue, 22, was a fifth-round pick (No. 149 overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Texas. He was waived on Sunday alongside fellow second-year back Phil Mafah. After going unclaimed on waivers Monday, Blue was free to sign with any team.
Blue joins Carson Steele and Dameon Pierce on the Eagles' practice squad. Philadelphia kept three running backs on its active roster: Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley.
A promising college career
Blue was an explosive playmaker at Texas. In his final collegiate season in 2024, he recorded 1,098 all-purpose yards — 730 rushing and 368 receiving — and 14 total touchdowns. He also caught 42 passes for 368 yards and six touchdowns, showcasing the pass-catching ability that made him an intriguing prospect.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Blue ran the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds, underscoring his game-breaking speed. His performance against Clemson in the 2024 College Football Playoffs was particularly notable: he ran for 146 yards in Texas' 38-24 win, including a 77-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Despite that production, Blue slipped to the fifth round in a deep running back class, and his rookie season with the Cowboys did not meet expectations.
A difficult rookie year in Dallas
Blue appeared in only five games as a rookie, finishing with 129 yards on 38 carries and one touchdown. He was inactive for 12 games, including the season opener, and played just 78 snaps — 33 of which came in the season finale against the New York Giants, where he had 64 yards and a touchdown on 16 attempts.
ESPN's Todd Archer wrote in May that Blue's rookie season "was essentially a wash" and noted there were "questions of maturity and trust" that led to Malik Davis getting more work later in the season. Blue also did not develop on special teams as the Cowboys had hoped, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Blue's struggles continued into his second training camp. He entered camp as Dallas' expected backup running back behind Javonte Williams, but Malik Davis won the job, beating out both Blue and Phil Mafah. Davis had rushed five times for 29 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals in a preseason game, while Blue rushed for 75 yards in the same contest.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer addressed the decision publicly. "When you talk about competing every day and adding value, and raising the level of competition, both those guys were drafted because we love those guys," he said of Blue and Mafah. "I think this is more a testament to a guy like Malik Davis that has just, time in and time out, come back and proven his worth."
Schottenheimer also said he was honest with both players about the team's uncertainty regarding their futures. "We said to both those guys that we weren't sure that we were [bringing them back]," he said. "Not sure that it would go that direction. And that's as honest as I could be with them."
Locked on Cowboys podcast host Marcus Mosher offered a blunter assessment, writing on X that "Brian Schottenheimer made it pretty clear they were moving on from Jaydon Blue today" and that "I think everyone in that building was tired of him."
A fresh start in Philadelphia
Blue's signing with the Eagles was reported by multiple outlets, including The Philly Special's Anthony DiBona and Eagles reporter Victor Williams, who noted the 2025 fifth-round pick "stays in the division." The Dallas Morning News, citing a person with knowledge of the deal, also confirmed the signing.
For the Eagles, Blue represents a low-risk addition with potential upside. He was considered a good prospect during the 2025 draft process, and his receiving skills and speed could eventually make him a productive third-down back, according to com. The move gives Philadelphia additional depth behind Barkley, Bigsby and Shipley.
Blue's path to playing time in Philadelphia remains difficult, given the talent ahead of him on the depth chart. But at 22 years old, he has time to develop and potentially carve out a role in the Eagles' offense.
Mafah, meanwhile, had not signed with another team as of Monday evening, according to The Dallas Morning News.