Often, OTAs are about getting players back into the groove after a long offseason, but for one Cowboys player, it marks the beginning of a pressurized offseason.
Every offseason, there are players who begin with their roster spot secured, others enter it on the bubble, and then there are those like Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue who are in between.
After a rookie season that you might as well say he was red-shirted for, playing just five games, while dealing with the maturity and on-field issues with his game that our own Mike Fisher revealed, Blue now enters OTAs with a lot to prove.
And as we prep for the Jaydon Blue Watch ... Dallas hopes he does.
Fish has told us of the "Thunder and Lightning" plan the Cowboys have for Javonte Williams and Blue heading into 2026, but Jaydon has to prove he is worthy of the task.
Because let's not forget, Malik Davis showed real promise last season, and was preferred over Blue, and Phil Mafah, while a similar style to Javonte, didn't really get a chance to prove himself - he will now. And he's healthy.
And that brings me to OTAs.
Usually, it is a soft introduction for most players as they get their feet underneath them after a long offseason, but not for Blue. This is the start of a job application.
The Cowboys want him to win the backup running back position behind Williams; there's no denying that, and Blue has most of the skills Brian Schottenheimer wants in his backs.
Speed, ability to be a receiver, and a tough ball carrier. Pass protection remains a work in progress.
But as OTAs get underway at The Star, I get the sense Blue can't afford to have many, if any, mistakes. That goes for on the field and, perhaps more importantly, in the classroom, too.
Dallas has a vision for Jaydon - who in many ways remains but a "prospect'' - but he's got to be good enough to execute it.
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And if he isn't, Dallas won't waste any time giving Mafah or Davis the chance to prove themselves and push Blue down the pecking order. After all, he's a fifth-round pick, so he isn't exactly a prized asset right now.
But he can be, and OTAs present the chance for Blue to kick off the offseason with an intent to be the player Dallas drafted him to be.
Yes, it is the "Underwear Olympics" as we have come to know it (credit to Fish and Michael Irvin from decades ago!), and for most, you can't really read into much at this time of the season.
But this offseason is all about stacking good days of production for Blue, because while he is only in his second year, I feel he's approaching an important moment in his young career.
Time will tell which way he decides to go.
