“Blue is a charged-up runner with explosive burst/acceleration once a lane is created,” Bleacher Report said of the Dallas Cowboys rookie running back. This explains the hype around him. Speaking of Jaydon Blue, the Cowboys’ offense has been in the talks for a while, with expectations from the newly acquired Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders. And Dallas expects the rookie to put in massive efforts to change the entire picture for the Cowboys. So, it’s not a surprise then that the former Longhorns also had to deal with pressure from the expectations and sharp criticism. Well, at least, he has support from the franchise players.

It seems he has already impressed his teammates. Blue is a great running back, but can he help the Cowboys and compete for the starting job? There have been several questions. And these talks perhaps didn’t sit well with Safety Juanyeh Thomas, who chose a graceful response for the critics.

“Dem “ex coaches” lame as hell… Lil bra ain’t had 1 issue on or off the field … People just lie for free… I hope they got the views on the show they wanted though…” he wrote on X. The 21-year-old who is quietly grinding at the franchise’s OTAs and minicamp had a classic way to reassure his dedication to the fans. “They go feel me real soon, production quiets all the noise,” he declared on his X. And Thomas quickly reshared the post and captioned it, “Him.” The Cowboys selected Blue in the fifth round of the NFL draft this year. And since then, several experts have praised the rookie for his skills. Experts believe he could be the best rookie in the league!

“With his burst, he outruns pursuing defenders to the edges and is an angle-beater once he breaks contain. Blue is a fast-track ball-carrier with great top-end speed. He will rip off long runs at max speed, generating explosive plays frequently,” Bleacher Report claimed of the star rookie. Even as per the Cowboys’ depth chart, Blue has a great chance after Williams and Sanders, reportedly ranked third on the list. Why?

However, his one decision after getting selected by the Dallas Cowboys raised eyebrows.

What did Glen Smith say about Jaydon Blue?

With this level of talent and buzz, the rookie also draws critical eyes everywhere he goes. So, quite unsurprisingly, the experts and legends in the league noticed Jaydon Blue’s absence at the offseason workouts. And they didn’t keep things quiet.

Calling out the rookie, the former Cowboys coach Glen Smith was quite harsh as he labelled Blue “lazy.” However, he had only one request, which was for Blue to attend the offseason workout for the team. During his appearance on Locked On Cowboys, he said, “So maybe he’s saying, hey, one Longhorn to the other Longhorn, get your a– in here and let’s get going a little bit. Because I think that that’s a firm message that needs to be sent.” Blue can follow these words of wisdom.

He signed a four-year contract with the Cowboys, which is worth a whopping $4.6 million. As part of the deal, the team expects him to be present at the workouts. “And so, from an accountability standpoint, when they don’t know who you are and you’re already (messing) around, it’s just the NFL, I mean it.” He didn’t sugarcoat it. He indeed dropped his wisdom on the road ahead.

“I realize college guys are getting paid, and I realize all of that, but telling you I’m just giving you right up front. I’m concerned about this pick at the University of Texas, and I think he’s got to eliminate the doubt that’s in the room right now,” Smith explained. While Blue has the skills and that competitive fire in him, he also needs professionalism.

Draft expert Dane Brugler of The Athletic earlier suggested the same for the rookie. “Blue is a threat to make a house call at any point, especially as a receiving weapon out of the backfield, but NFL scouts say he may need time to learn what it takes to be a professional. His dynamic talent can upgrade a backfield,” he said.

Well, Jaydon Blue’s workout sessions with the coach Brian Schottenheimer and his teammates have been reportedly impressive. And the expectations are high for the rookie. Whether he can maintain that same energy moving forward remains to be seen.