Cowboys rookie running back Jaydon Blue made his preseason debut Friday night and scored his first touchdown.
But his night didn’t end the way he wanted it to end.
The Cowboys have ruled out Blue with an ankle injury.
It is the same right ankle/heel that he originally injured in an Aug. 7 training camp practice, according to the Cowboys broadcast. Blue only returned to practice Tuesday, missing almost two weeks.
The Cowboys start the season Sept. 4.
The fifth-round pick had nine carries for 25 yards, scoring on a 1-yard run. He was injured on a tackle by Falcons defensive lineman Simeon Barrow at the end of Blue’s 6-yard reception from Will Grier with 13:17 remaining in the game.
The play was negated by an offensive pass interference penalty on Josh Kelly.
One day after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had plenty of inflammatory things to say about the contract impasse with linebacker Micah Parsons, Parsons sent a message of his own (beyond social media).
Although he reported to AT&T Stadium for the preseason finale against the Falcons, Parsons was the only player to not wear his jersey. And he spent time on the training table, projecting a general vibe of disinterest in the contest and disinclination to be present for it.
Three weeks ago today, Parsons posted a public plea to be traded. He has not rescinded his request.
Although the Cowboys have shown no willingness to trade him, the question becomes whether Parsons play in the regular-season opener at Philadelphia, in only 13 days.
He has not practiced during training camp, citing back tightness. Jones has expressed skepticism about the injury, brushing it off as a negotiating tactic.
Jones also characterized the trade request as basic negotiation. But Jones doesn’t seem to be willing to negotiate at this point. He has repeatedly said Parsons is under contract. And, at this point, Jones seems to be daring Parsons to not play.
If that happens, what will the Cowboys do? If Parsons is committed to not playing — and if he sticks to his position that his back is tight — will the Cowboys force the issue? Or will they simple hope that, at some point, a football player who loves football will set aside his discontent and play football?
Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich flew home before Friday night’s game against the Cowboys, the Falcons broadcast team reports.
Ulbrich left to deal with a personal matter.
Defensive pass game coordinator Mike Rutenberg is calling plays in the first half, and assistant head coach/defense Jerry Gray will take over those duties for the second half.
The Cowboys gained 113 yards and scored two touchdowns on their first two drives. Joe Milton’s 1-yard run and Jaydon Blue’s 1-yard run has Dallas up on the Falcons 14-0.
Cowboys owner and G.M. Jerry Jones is capable of being, in equal measures, magnetic and repugnant. When it comes to linebacker Micah Parsons, Jerry has recently been more repugnant than magnetic.
Jones has a habit of negotiating directly with players, cutting out agents who are there to do to the negotiating. Appearing on Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin’s podcast, Jones made clear his position that a deal with Parsons was negotiated in direct discussions with the player.
Along the way, Jones said this: “Nobody has ever offered him more money than I have to play football.”
It’s a ridiculous comment. No one else has had a chance to offer Parsons anything to play football, because Parsons has never been a free agent.
Jones exercised the fifth-year option to keep Parsons from getting offers from other teams. Jones apparently intends to tag Parsons — twice — to keep him from becoming a free agent.
It’s baked into the labor deal. Teams can use the fifth-year option and multiple franchise tags to keep players from receiving offers from other teams.
If Jerry truly wants to let other teams try to offer more money to Parsons than the Cowboys have, Jerry can refrain from applying the franchise tag. But he won’t. Because if Parsons were a free agent, someone else would offer Parsons more than Jones would ever be willing to pay.
Micah Parsons scrubbed all Cowboys content from his social media accounts Thursday after hearing Jerry Jones’ comments about their contract stalemate.
So, everyone was curious whether the star edge rusher would show up to work Friday.
He did, and he has.
Todd Archer of ESPN reports that Parsons attended meetings at The Star on Friday morning.
Some 2 1/2 hours before Friday night’s preseason game against the Falcons, Parsons walked from the players’ parking lot through the bowels of AT&T Stadium to the locker room. Via videos from multiple reporters, Parsons was eating nachos as he arrived.
Parsons isn’t happy with Jones, and Jones isn’t happy with Parsons.
On Michael Irvin’s podcast, which dropped Thursday, Jones said he and Parsons had a handshake deal and “the agent told us to stick it up our ass.” Jones also all but dared Parsons to sit out the season and said the sides have “three years to work this out.”
Parsons is under contract for $24 million under the fifth-year option for 2025, and the Cowboys could use the franchise tag for 2026 and 2027.
Parsons continues to hold-in, at times citing back tightness for not practicing.
The Cowboys open the season Sept. 4 against the Eagles.
