The Dallas Cowboys are facing a tough decision at quarterback as roster cuts approach, with Cooper Rush likely to be the odd man out.
Rush has been with the Cowboys since 2017. He saw extended time in 2022 when Dak Prescott went down with a thumb injury. Rush went 4-1 in his starts, passing for 1,051 yards, 5 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. He’s played sparingly outside that window, attempting just 49 passes in his other five seasons combined.
Rush has been a reliable backup option but is projected to lose the gig to former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance. Jon Machota of The Athletic believes that Dallas will choose to hang on to Lance after giving up a fourth-round pick for him a year ago.
“Cooper Rush has done nothing to lose the backup job. Lance hasn’t done much to think he has realistically passed Rush on the depth chart. But if the Cowboys go with only two at the position, it’s hard to believe that they will let Lance walk after trading a fourth-round pick for him a year ago,” Machota wrote on Wednesday, August 7. “Rush has looked like his usual self. Lance has been up and down. There are moments when it seems easy to write him off, and then there are moments when he makes a play that showcases why he was a top-five pick in 2021.”
Cowboys Praise Trey Lance for Improvement
Machota noted that Lance will be the “No. 1 player to watch” during the Cowboys’ preseason slate. The Cowboys’ initial unofficial depth chart showed Rush as the No. 2 quarterback behind Prescott and Lance as the third option.
Dallas will face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, August 11. There will likely be lots of reps available, with Prescott unlikely to see much, if any, action. Lance’s journey in the NFL has been rough so far. But he has a chance to turn it around and is feeling refreshed heading into the new season.
“I think the biggest thing is I’ve learned a lot about myself and who I am on and off the field,” Lance told the Cowboys’ official site in May. “This offseason, I’ve been at my best mentally, physically, spiritually knowing who I am, where I am and being able to be present.”
Lance hasn’t played a live snap with the Cowboys but the team has been watching him closely. New offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer had liked what he’s seen out of Lance.
“What I see is a guy that’s going out each day and he’s competing at the highest level,” Schottenheimer said on August 1. “Is he making mistakes? Of course he is. But I see improvement every day. Trey has never done some of this stuff, so what I see is when his footwork speeds up and the ball comes out on time, he’s getting it, he’s starting to figure it out.”
Cowboys Sorting Out Dak Prescott’s Future
The main topic of conversation this season regarding the Cowboys’ quarterback situation has been Prescott’s future. He is entering the final year of the four-year, $160 million deal he signed with the Cowboys in 2021. If Dallas doesn’t reach an extension with him, he’ll be a free agent next offseason.
Last season, Prescott topped the NFL in completions (410) and touchdown passes (36), amassing 4,516 passing yards and finishing second in MVP voting. Prescott has not been shy about saying he’s not afraid of potentially playing for another franchise if things don’t work out in Dallas.
“Having a kid, your perspective changes a little bit in life,” Prescott told Prescott told Jeff Kolb of Fox 4 on August 1. “A lot of quarterbacks have [played for other teams]. That’s just the business and nature of this game. That’s just me not being naive to that.
“It’s not something I look for, or prepare — even plan — for, but if something like that happens, I’ll certainly be ready for it.”
Prescott and the Cowboys open the regular season on September 8 on the road against the Cleveland Browns.
