As the Dallas Cowboys enter the last week of the preseason, their game tomorrow could be interesting for two players.
Both Trey Lance and Cooper Rush have been at the front of random news rumors, asking whether the team is going to keep both of them. If they do keep them around, who then backs up Dak Prescott?
Lance played most of the preseason, completing 40 of 64 passes for 339 yards and two touchdowns. One rushing and one passing.
He was not good in the first preseason game against the Rams, but showed some growth last week against the Los Vegas Raiders, but let’s keep it real, it is against nothing but guys who probably won’t make the roster.
From what it sounds like big Mike has no idea who the backup will be.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy when asked if he’s going to have a difficult decision to make on who his backup QB is between Cooper Rush and Trey Lance: “I think just like anything, you play this all the way out. You can never have enough good quarterbacks, and we got three good…
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 21, 2024
Keep Both Or Trade One?
When you look around the league, it seems all the teams have their week one starter in place, so would anyone be willing to trade for one of these guys? That I don’t know.
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 defense only allowed an average of 13 points per game.
Cooper Rush to WR Deontay Burnett pic.twitter.com/FBi0E5XdqT
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 20, 2024
We saw what happened in his one loss. The Eagles offense couldn’t be stopped, and they couldn’t score enough. Rush can be a plug and play guy for a handful of weeks. That is who he is. Possibly the best TRUE backup in football.
This fan base wanted Trey Lance to take over the starting job so badly, but let’s be honest, he has struggled to score against guys who won’t even make the roster for the Rams and Raiders.
From what it sounds like, Lance won’t be going anywhere, but can anyone really trust what Jerry Jones says?
“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.”
Plans For After 2024
If Lance stays on the roster and Dak Prescott does not sign a new deal, my guess is that Lance would probably have a shot at being the starter next year.
I think this team will get blown up, and will be drafting inside the top 10 for the next three or four years if Lance takes over. He just is not what all these teams thought he would be. He was over drafted, big time.
Another INT for Mike Zimmer’s defense (second today): Trey Lance to Jalen Tolbert is picked off by Julius Wood and run back for a pick-six.
The young safety is showing things lately. #Cowboys
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) August 21, 2024
He couldn’t beat out Sam Dornald, that is why the 49ers traded him. He was there third overall pick, but do people think he can be a long term starter in this league? I don’t see it.
If they keep both of these guys on the roster, my guess is that if Dak Prescott does not get hurt, another team will end up calling Dallas trying to trade for either Rush or Lance.
Both are good enough to step in for a game or two and at least give you a chance, but they can’t be the franchise guy, they just don’t have it.
We could go back and forth all day about this on Lance.
Let’s see what happens in this final preseason game, but if I had to guess right now, Rush will probably remain the backup.
Lance may make the roster, but they are letting him have the entire preseason to maybe raise his trade stock?
They are going to have two backups and one will be filling the third string role if Lance makes the roster. It will be interesting to see if Dallas wants to deal one of them later in the season.
