Dallas running backs coach Derrick Foster dispelled an offseason rumor about his rookie running back on Wednesday

OXNARD, Calif. — A brand as big as the Dallas Cowboys invites a hot spotlight.

Rookie fifth-round pick running back Jaydon Blue learned that early this offseason when former Cowboys offensive assistant Glenn Smith (2000-2001) kick-started rumors that the 21-year-old was viewed in the building as “borderline lazy.”

Blue himself denied that claim last week and said that rumor added fuel to his fire.

Current Dallas running backs coach Derrick Foster sided with his rookie on Wednesday, declaring that he didn’t think Blue’s work ethic was in question internally.

“He’s growing as a player, and I think when you come into this league as a young player, there’s a lot of things that you don’t know and that you figure out once you start getting your feet wet a little bit.

He’s maturing in that regard. I think in the spring he was a little far behind than what we wanted him to [be]. I think now he’s showing signs of professionalism,” Foster said.

“Going about his business the right way, doing the small things and being detailed and just stuff like that.

He’s very smart, and I don’t think his work ethic is in question. I think he does a really good job in that regard.”

Foster has actually been surprised that the 5-foot-9-inch running back, who weighs 196 pounds and is more known for his speed in the open field, has already displayed a knack for being able to navigate running between the tackles early on in training camp.

“He’s a patient runner. He’s got a real good feel for it. He’s got natural instincts, some of those traits that you really look for in a back, and I think once he sees that opening space, he’s not been afraid to stick it up inside in the hole and really try to lower his pads,” Foster said.

“Now, we still got to work on that a little bit, but he’s really surprised me in terms of being able to run between the pads.

So that was one of the things that I really wanted to see with his stature and his body build, could he do that?

I think he’s done a really good job of displaying that ability to be able to run between the tackles.”

A between-the-tackles run at Monday’s practice specifically caught Foster’s attention.

It appeared Blue would be stonewalled for a short gain of about a couple yards, but the rookie’s balance and poise allowed him to jump cut his way out of trouble and into the open field for a breakaway run.

“He had a run here a couple practices ago, and he was kind of struck out and got some daylight there, and he exploded into the open field,” Foster said.

“He really felt it, and … on an outside zone, he stuck his foot in the ground and just burst and accelerated through the line of scrimmage.

It’s like ‘OK, that’s the burst of speed that we look for.’ So man, he’s very talented and got some of that juice, so he can take it home.”

Blue has begun to receive a handful of reps in practice in Oxnard with the first-team offense, but if he keeps putting rushes like those on tape, he’ll continue to fly up the depth chart in a hurry.