Jaydon Blue’s role this season will be interesting to monitor.
After the report that Cowboys return specialist KaVontae Turpin was arrested on two misdemeanors, it’s natural to wonder what this could mean for the upcoming season. If he does have to miss any games, who would be the next man up for his work on special teams and offense? While we haven’t seen him in NFL action yet, rookie RB Jaydon Blue makes a lot of sense.
With relatively minor charges in this case, Turpin likely will not miss any games at all. If Turpin does have to serve a short suspension, the Cowboys will certainly need a new specialist for kickoff and punt returns. That same logic applies to depth for injury; every spot needs a backup.
They may also need someone to step in for significant offensive snaps, not just special teams. It was Brian Schottenheimer, while serving as offensive coordinator, who pushed for Turpin to get more work there. Now the head coach, Schottenheimer’s ascension was naturally assumed to be a positive for an expanded role for Turpin.
Jaydon Blue, one of Dallas’ fifth-round picks in 2025, is already expected to get plenty of touches as a rookie. Even if the starting job goes to a veteran like Javonte Williams or Miles Sanders, Blue is still projected to see a large share in the rotation. At worst, it would likely resemble Tony Pollard’s role behind Elliott from 2020-2021. And if Blue proves to be significantly more effective, Williams and Sanders don’t have Zeke’s connection to the front office to preserve their touches.
Something that’s emerged from the spring practices is Blue getting looks as a return man. It wasn’t something he did much at Texas, only handling three kickoffs in 2023 and none in his first or final year. But the Cowboys have been working him out there and on punts over the last two months, naturally needing someone ready to handle those duties if Turpin becomes unavailable.
Blue makes a lot of on-paper sense for the role. Athletically, he may be the second-fastest guy on the team after Turpin. Whether it’s handling returns or being used on offense in ways that were planned for Turpin, Blue is a logical alternate. He is also guaranteed to be active for every game when healthy, which can sometimes get hairy with more down-roster candidates. A guy like Deuce Vaughn, who is highly doubtful to make this year’s roster at all, only dressed for seven games in each of the last two years.
Of course, Blue has to earn the coaches’ trust to actually perform. Whether it’s securing the ball, making good decisions about when to return versus taking a fair catch, reading his blocks, or other facets, there’s a lot more to this than just being fast. But if he can handle the technical side, Blue’s uncoachable traits of speed and quickness will certainly serve him well.
If he’s the Day 3 steal that everyone’s proclaiming him to be, Blue getting more touches won’t bother anyone. Sure, he may not be as electric as Turpin. Few in the NFL are, and it’s why he’s generally considered the best return man in the business. But if Turpin does get suspended for any stretch, or just misses time for injury or other reasons, it will be very reassuring if the rookie RB is ready and able to take on that additional work.
