The Dallas Cowboys are facing a difficult choice in selecting Dak Prescott’s backup for next season, with Cooper Rush and Trey Lance both vying for the role.
Lance has seen the majority of preseason game action. He’s completed 40 of 64 passes for 339 yards and a pair of touchdowns (one rushing, one passing). Lance has also tossed an interception.
Rush has thrown just six passes in the preseason, but the Cowboys have also been closely monitoring his training camp reps.
“I think just like anything, you play this all the way out,” McCarthy said on Wednesday, August 21, about the backup QB battle. “You can never have enough good quarterbacks, and we got three good ones. We’re fortunate.”
Cooper Rush Has Had ‘Super Consistent’ Camp With Cowboys
The Cowboys mostly know what they’re getting in Rush, who has been with the team since 2017. He saw extended time in 2022 when Prescott went down with a thumb injury, even creating a brief “QB controversy.”
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. The Cowboys value the consistency that Rush brings to the table.
“Cooper is the same man every single day,” McCarthy said. “He is super consistent. He is on top of his game. I think if you look at his snaps that he has had this year, definitely quality over quantity. That’s by design with what we’ve got going on with Dak and Trey. This is clearly, in my time with him, his best camp. His decision-making has been on point. I think his footwork and some of the things he’s done have been impressive. There are not too many two-minute drills when he goes out there that Cooper doesn’t take the offense right down the field. Super consistent. I really like the camp Cooper has had.”
Cowboys: Trey Lance Will Be on 53-Man Roster
The Cowboys traded for Lance before the start of last season, sending a fourth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently praised Lance’s ability and upside as the former No. 3 overall pick. He also assured Lance will be on the 53-man roster.
“I’d like to see us really be able to have our quarterback depth,” Jones said. “I’d like to see [Lance] get some more work in this weekend, that would be No. 1. Do I need to see any more from Trey Lance? The answer is yes, but he’s going to be on the 53.”
That move would leave Rush on the outside looking in if the team decides to keep only two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. It’s a risk to let Rush go, but it’s less likely he’ll get scooped up by another team than Lance and could sign with the practice squad.
The Cowboys hope that discussions about Prescott’s backup remain confined to the preseason. Over his eight seasons, Prescott has stayed relatively healthy, and with an important contract year ahead, the focus is on keeping him on the field.
