It's trending more and more likely that Dak Prescott will play out the 2024 season on the final year of his contract. Until Prescott inks a new deal, there will be a path to Trey Lance becoming the Dallas Cowboys' starting quarterback.
To say that Lance has a long way to go before the Cowboys ever consider him as Prescott's successor would be an understatement. After a rough preseason debut, Lance looked more comfortable last week against the Raiders. But that isn't saying much.
It has long made sense in fans' eyes that the Cowboys should attempt to trade Lance before he (presumably) seeks greener pastures as a free agent next March.
As it turns out, a Lance trade won't be happening after Jerry Jones confirmed the 24-year-old will make Dallas' 53-man roster. While notable, that doesn't necessarily mean he'll backup Prescott. Lance still has a lot to prove and Mike McCarthy reinforced that on two accounts on Wednesday.
Cowboys' Mike McCarthy pauses Trey Lance hype after Jerry Jones confirmed QB's roster spot
McCarthy was asked if he's going to have a difficult decision picking between Lance and Cooper Rush for the backup job. McCarthy gave a typical coach-speak answer, but the fact he didn't commit to Lance speaks volumes.
"I think just like anything, you play this all the way out," said McCarthy, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. "You can never have enough good quarterbacks, and we got three good ones. We’re fortunate.”
It wouldn't make much sense for McCarthy to name the winner before Saturday's preseason finale. Many Cowboys fans have written Rush off the roster due to Lance's upside. However, Rush has kept the proverbial ship afloat (and then some) whenever Prescott has missed time with injury.
During the presser, McCarthy stated that two players are having their best training camps as Cowboys: right tackle Terence Steele and QB Cooper Rush, per ESPN's Todd Archer. McCarthy applauded Rush's ability to lead the offense to points during two-minute drills.
And thus, the Lance hype train has come to a screeching halt. The former third overall pick had some wind in his sails following Saturday's win and Jones' announcement. While Jones confirming Lance's roster spot was seen as a big endorsement, it was the expected outcome.
Trading Lance sounded ideal in theory, but it was always going to be difficult given how little football he's played in the last two years, even in light of J.J. McCarthy's season-ending injury and amid other QB uncertainty around the league.
Cutting Lance wasn't an option, either. While Dallas declined Lance's fifth-year option, their investment of a fourth-round pick coupled with his $5.31 million guaranteed salary suggested from the onset that he was going to make the team.
Furthermore, it would be foolish of any team to not carry three quarterbacks with the NFL's emergency third-quarterback rule.
It may seem like McCarthy rained on Lance's parade, but there wasn't really anything to celebrate to begin with. The head coach has long stated Lance needs more reps. Two preseason games hasn't changed that.
