Trey Lance has been on the Cowboys’ roster for more than 14 months. Dallas added the former San Francisco starter after Sam Darnold had beaten him out for the 49ers’ QB2 job in 2023, effectively going forward with a roster stash. But Lance has not made much progress with his second NFL team.
The former No. 3 overall pick entered this season as the Cowboys’ third-stringer, doing so after being inactive throughout the 2023 slate. Any notions of him factoring into the team’s 2025 starter conversation were buried once the team gave Dak Prescott a record-smashing extension (four years, $240MM). With Prescott moving to IR, the door is open for Lance. For the time being, however, a 3-5 Cowboys team does not appear to have designs on starting him.
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Cooper Rush is the locked-in starter over Lance, according to ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano, who indicates the team believes the veteran provides a better chance to win. Lance-specific packages may be implemented, but Graziano adds no consideration is being given to him leapfrogging Rush on the depth chart for a potential extended look. This comes after Stephen Jones kept the door open for Lance work amid Prescott’s hamstring injury.
With the Cowboys teetering on the brink of dropping out of the playoff chase during a season in which Mike McCarthy is a lame duck, it is certainly understandable the coaching staff is not interested in long-term evaluations just yet. Whether ownership could eventually intervene could be an interesting subplot for this year’s Cowboys edition, especially if the team’s current losing streak continues without Prescott, who is guaranteed to miss at least four games.
Dallas has held its own with Rush at the helm in the past, going 5-1 with the former UDFA as the starter. Rush, who is five years into his second Cowboys stint, replaced Prescott in September 2022 — after the longtime starter suffered a thumb injury. Prescott missed five games that season, and Rush earned praise by going 4-1 as a starter during that stretch. He completed less than 59% of his passes, however, at just 6.5 yards per clip. Prescott already exited Week 9 ranked 25th in QBR, highlighting issues with the quarterback’s performance and the team around him. It will be interesting to see how Rush fares in this situation, as he now holds the keys to the Cowboys reentering playoff discussions or moving toward the NFC basement.
An midsummer report indicating Lance had a chance to usurp Rush did not precede such a move, as Rush held onto the No. 2 QB gig during training camp. The Cowboys gave Lance extensive preseason work, as the North Dakota State alum has a historically thin resume — for a top prospect, at least — in terms of game work post-high school. The Cowboys were tied to a fully guaranteed $5MM on Lance’s contract by trading for him, but they joined the Steelers (Justin Fields), Jaguars (Mac Jones) and Broncos (Zach Wilson) in declining the fifth-year option on a traded first-round QB from the 2021 class.
With Rush a fairly known commodity at 30, any Lance work would immediately generate more interest in Dallas. Lance, 24, has not seen any regular-season action since a fractured ankle sustained in Week 2 of the 2022 season moved him out of the 49ers’ starting lineup. The 49ers had reached a renegotiated deal with Jimmy Garoppolo as Lance insurance that year, after the team spent the offseason dangling Garoppolo in trades. With Lance proving unready, Garoppolo (and then Brock Purdy) piloted San Francisco back to the NFC championship game. Darnold then beat out Lance, who had effectively lost his job to a former seventh-round pick, leading him to Dallas.
The Cowboys have now given up fourth-round picks in trades for Lance and Jonathan Mingo, the latter transaction occurring Tuesday. While Mingo is signed through 2026, Lance is not headed toward 2025 free agency with any momentum. The Cowboys could potentially provide some by greenlighting some game work, but more than a year into his Dallas tenure, it is notable the team is not looking into moving him past an eighth-year backup to replace Prescott.
Cowboys should make calls to Jimmy Garapolo
And they gave up a 4th round pick to get this dude.
Bucky Irving, Ray Davis, and Isaac Guerendo were taken immediately after the pick which was Malik Mustapha who is currently starting at safety for the 49ers.
I’m a Cowboys fan, and I’d rather see them embrace a tank or sorts. They need some higher-end/better quality (younger/cheaper too I ‘spose) players if they want to succeed. offensively, they need to partly rebuild o-line and need a decent RB. Defensively, they need a (really) good run stopper. obviously no magic wand, but, better odds you end up with higher end talent thr closer to the top of the draft you are I would think.
They need a new owner.
Rush is a serviceable backup and you kind of already know what you’re going to get. They should give Lance a run to see if he can show enough to build up some trade value. No sense in keeping him around as the 3rd string QB for several years.
Why would the Cowboys try anything new
Cuz lance is a bust
How would anyone know? Dude hasn’t played any significant game time.
If he was worth a top three pick he’d have seen game time dude the title of the article tells you he’s a bust
Worst draft pick ever Kyle thanks a lot dingus three firsts for this total bust
Could you imagine the help SF could’ve provided Purdy if they didn’t blow those picks on such a huge reach? Guy should’ve been a 3rd round pick and brought along slowly, not 3rd overall. But because of where he was taken he’ll continue to be given chances.
Even if they had the picks there is nothing saying they would be difference makers. Every year there are mediocre to bust level players in the first round.
What are the chances Anthony Richardson becomes Trey Lance?
Impossible as Indy didn’t give up 3 firsts to get the pick used for Richardson.
16 – Yes, but as for career arc – I think that same vibe is strong.
Id prefer to know for sure though, and see AR get a chance to keep playing. He needs it.
A mistake. Give this guy some experience. Give Cook more touches as well and see if either get hot as they keep playing …
Why even trade for Lance if you’re not going to use this “opportunity” to start him? Unless he looks absolutely terrible in practice, there is no reason to leave him on the bench.
You answered your own question. Lance isn’t good.
‘isn’t good’ is not equal to ‘absolutely terrible’, which is what I said. Rush ‘isn’t good’. Unless Lance looks absolutely terrible in practice, there is no reason to leave him on the bench because you already know Rush sucks. And if Lance is that bad, just cut him.
Rush must be better than Lance and why he is starting over him.
When asked why Kellen Mond deserved a look as a starting QB Mike Zimmer said why. I see him every day. And we all know that Mond is not threatening to start anywhere anytime soon.
Neither is Cooper Rush and we’ve all already seen what Cooper Rush can do. At least make this lost season interesting.
Cooper Rush is 5-1 as a starter.
They didn’t win those games because of Cooper Rush. He’s not a good QB and can barely throw it downfield.
The Cowboys know which of the two backups they have is better. It’s Cooper Rush. Trey Lance is a waste of space.
This is what happens with a coach on an expiring contract. We need to see lance what’s he about
You’re right. Extend McCarthy!
-all the other NFL teams
McCarthy to the Saints for a 2025 late rounder. Zimmer does the interim thing which includes starting Lance.
Oops. Past the deadline unless there’s no deadline for moving a coach.
Like it matters!
What a RUSH !!
I hope Rush wins several games and the Cowboys see money wasted on Dak.
Rush vs Cooper is almost as exciting as Minshew vs O’Connell. No wonder the league wants to expand the schedule to 18 games.
fumble there but you get the general idea.
Easy easy this talk of winning . We can’t get Travis Hunter if we win . Should have traded to get another pick and get jeanty