All is quiet on the front for both Cooper Rush and Trey Lance. It isn’t likely to remain that way, as both players are set to be unrestricted free agents in just a few weeks. Therefore, the Dallas Cowboys have a big decision to make at their backup quarterback position. Do they go with proven ability or bank on development?
Cooper Rush and Trey Lance Competing for Cowboys QB2
The Case for Cooper Rush
Not every backup quarterback is going to win games. Several of the number two’s in the league aren’t great. They’re placeholders for the star of the show. The same can’t be said about Cooper Rush, who managed to go 4-4 as a starter for the team in 2024 and 5-1 for the rest of his Cowboys career. Rush can win games. He isn’t just filling a seat–he’s making it work. However, he isn’t perfect and has clear downfalls.
Unfortunately, Rush doesn’t have a super high ceiling. All the tricks are out of the bag. He isn’t going to scramble under pressure. Rush can’t consistently make long throws down the field. And he isn’t bringing anything extraordinary with him when he steps off the bench. He’s the kind of guy that checks the boxes but doesn’t add any. None of those are bad things. In fact, the Dallas Cowboys have enjoyed that about him. He’s consistent year after year. Rush seamlessly slides into the scheme that the Cowboys already made around Dak Prescott. Realistically, there isn’t much more they can ask of him.
The Case for Trey Lance
On the other hand, if the Cowboys want a guy with a high ceiling, who might be right there when it comes to explosiveness, they have Trey Lance. Although it wasn’t his best season on paper, Lance is everything Rush isn’t. They’re polar opposites. Lance is a scrambling quarterback. He moves around the field and exits the pocket the moment things look grim. That’s his specialty. But it’s also something to plan around and an extra step for the coaching staff. It shouldn’t be a problem with the new offensive coordinator, Clayton Adams, who worked with Kyler Murray in Arizona. So that’s a problem that’s solved.
What isn’t solved is arm strength. Lance struggles to place the long ball. If he stays, it’s another piece of the puzzle the Cowboys must figure out. Although, they managed to make it work with Rush just fine. Also, Lance’s record just isn’t Rush’s. Some of that could still be a scheme issue. But it’s another problem that needs to be fixed if they’d like to keep him on this roster.
Other Options for Dallas Cowboys Quarterback
The Cowboys could let both players walk, though it isn’t likely. Will Grier still remains on the roster as a QB4. While the Cowboys probably will not keep both guys, they will more than likely retain one so that they know who they’re working with. Grier wasn’t in the building the majority of the year, so keeping either Rush or Lance is imperative.
There’s also the draft. This isn’t a heavy quarterback draft, but the Cowboys are pretty good at picking diamonds in the rough. They could scoop up a guy with comparable talent to Rush and potential to Lance and feel good to go. If they’re looking to save money, this might be the most economically sound option. Rush doesn’t consume much of the cap, but Lance could, as he’s already paid more.
This backup competition isn’t at the forefront. There are bigger deals to sign and other contracts to worry about, like Rico Dowdle vs. Deuce Vaughn, or how desperate is the situation for a new offensive linemen now that Zack Martin is retiring? And that’s just the offense. Only time will tell whether either QB touches the field at AT&T Stadium again.