Locked On Cowboys – SHOWCASE: Cowboys RB Jaydon Blue Expected To Play In Season Finale | Week 18 Preview!

Date: January 2, 2026
Hosts: Marcus Mosher & Landon McCool

Episode Overview

In this episode, Marcus Mosher and Landon McCool preview the Dallas Cowboys’ Week 18 matchup against the New York Giants. The show centers on the return of RB Jaydon Blue and the opportunities for several fringe and backup players due to injuries and a largely meaningless final game. The hosts discuss player evaluations, roster decisions for the coming offseason, and give their predictions for the Cowboys and Giants regular season finale.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jaydon Blue’s Opportunity & Implications

• Return After Long Absence:
  Jaydon Blue hasn't been active since the Broncos game earlier in the season. With injuries to Javonte Williams (shoulder) and Malik Davis (eye), Blue is expected to see significant action in Week 18.
• Host Reactions:
  • McCool expresses cautious excitement:

    "I'm excited to see him carry the football. I'm excited to see him catch the football and run with the football. I am not excited to see him pass protecting while Dak Prescott is on the field..." (02:18)

  • Marcus frames the stakes:

    "This is a big-time opportunity... if he has a good Week 18, he doesn't put the ball on the ground… maybe we could actually be excited about him moving forward." (03:07)

• Pressure to Perform:
  • Both acknowledge that this could be Blue’s last chance to secure a spot for 2026.
  • Notable for Blue: Avoiding mistakes, showing explosiveness, and demonstrating he can handle assignments.
  • Landon on Blue’s outlook:

    "He needs to… earn the trust to even be kind of in consideration there..." (05:19)
    "If you can't get on the field because you can't get the mental aspect of it down... you can't be trusted to be put on the field." (06:17)

2. Dak Prescott’s & Joe Milton’s Expected Playing Time

• Quarterback Rotation:
  • Both expect Dak Prescott to start, but anticipate his playing time will be short, perhaps just a quarter.
  • Draws comparison to a “preseason dress rehearsal” atmosphere.
• Joe Milton Evaluation:
  • Marcus wonders if Milton is playing for the 2026 backup job:

    "I wonder if he's playing for the backup job in 2026, because I don't think it's a guarantee that he's got that job on lock..." (06:43)

  • Landon on Milton’s track record:

    "The only time we've really seen it with Joe is in opportunities like this one... he performs like way better than you expect." (07:17, 08:43)

3. Other Players to Watch & Offseason Roster Decisions

• Brock Hoffman (OL):
  • Set to start at left guard with TJ Bass injured.
  • Marcus discusses restricted free agency options and the financial balancing act:

    "My guess is that the Cowboys are going to do a second round tender... that's also quite a bit of money for a backup guard center." (13:14)

  • Landon stresses the value of strong backups but questions how much can be spent:

    "You've got so much money tied up elsewhere, it's kind of hard to pay that kind of money for backup offensive linemen." (15:05)

• 21-Day Window Returnees:
  • Phil Mafa (RB): Unclear if he will play, but this may be more about evaluation for 2026 after a lingering shoulder injury. (16:01)
  • Josh Butler (CB): Recovery from ACL, age a factor, but could provide a key veteran floor to the thin secondary. (16:17)
• CB Depth Issues:
  • Cowboys are missing multiple corners (Trayvon out, Savon Revel concussion, Kaylin Carson hamstring, Daron Bland IR).
  • Likely starters at CB: Kaylin Carson and Josh Butler; the team is desperate for healthy bodies. (18:38)
• Other Names to Watch:
  • Perryon Winfrey (DT): May see action given Quinn and Williams’ injuries.
  • Shemar James (LB): Important week to solidify his roster standing for next year.
  • Peyton Turner (DE): Activation possibility, likely as a depth evaluation for a possible scheme change in 2026. (21:07)

4. Predictions and Game Outlook

• Meaningless for Standings, Not for Players
  Both emphasize that while this game is meaningless for the record, it carries weight for individual evaluations and careers.
• Landon’s Pick: Giants, citing expectancy that NYG will play starters longer and desire a morale-boosting win:

  "I'm picking the Giants because I think they're going to play their quarterback the whole game..." (23:29)

• Marcus’s Pick: Cowboys, citing talent gap, but expects ugly football, especially in the second half:

  "I think Dallas has way more talent... I’m just preparing you. This is going to be some of the ugliest regular football you've ever seen." (25:17)

• Both acknowledge unusual motivations and uncertainties around resting players across the league in Week 18.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Blue’s Make-or-Break Opportunity:
  Marcus: "This might be Jaden Blue's last chance. Like if he doesn't have a good game... Would I be surprised if the Cowboys sign a free agent running back... and then spend another pick... Not at all." (05:38)
• On Instability in the Depth Chart:
  Landon: "If I can't trust to put my starting quarterback out there while you're on the field, like, what are we even doing here?" (06:17)
• On Joe Milton:
  Landon: "He performs like way better than you expect. Right. So, yeah, I, I don't really know what to, to buy with this situation." (08:43)
• On the Week 18 Atmosphere:
  Marcus: "I think in the second half when Joe Milton plays, you're gonna see so many runs, you're gonna see very vanilla stuff. You're gonna see a lot of... probably receivers and personnel groupings that haven't even practiced together." (25:17)
• On Defensive Woes:
  Marcus: "Let's see exactly how bad this Cowboys defense goes from where they are now to where they are when they have even fewer starters inserted into it." (26:24)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:10 – Start of Cowboys Week 18 preview, introduction of Jaydon Blue's expected role
• 02:18 – Landon on Blue’s strengths/weaknesses and RB depth
• 03:07 – Marcus on preseason feel, opportunity for Blue
• 04:15 – Explosive playmaking requirement for Blue
• 05:11 – What if Blue struggles? Consequences on his future in Dallas
• 06:43 – Discussion shifts to QB situation (Dak/Milton)
• 08:43 – Landon on Joe Milton’s unpredictability and practice vs. live performance
• 12:04 – Segment begins on other players to watch in Week 18
• 13:06 – Brock Hoffman’s restricted free agency explained
• 15:45 – Landon introduces “21-day window” players (Mafa, Butler)
• 17:28 – Marcus on CB situation post-Trayvon release and injury report
• 20:00 – Marcus highlights Perryon Winfrey and Shemar James as players to monitor
• 21:07 – Landon’s last watchlist add: Peyton Turner (DE)
• 23:29 – Final predictions: Landon picks Giants
• 25:17 – Final predictions: Marcus picks Cowboys, anticipates ugly game

Episode Takeaways

• Week 18 is less about the win/loss and more about seeing how young or seldom-used players perform under the microscope, with a focus on the 2026 roster.
• Jaydon Blue's performance carries real roster implications, as does the play of several backup linemen, corners, and rotation defenders.
• Expect limited snaps for veterans, plenty of vanilla schemes, and a heavy evaluation focus for both coaching staff and front office.

This episode is essential listening for fans interested in roster construction, young players’ futures, and the natural chaos of a meaningless regular season finale.