Since they are eliminated from the playoffs, the Cowboys are planning to use their Week 18 as an opportunity to evaluate their roster heading ahead of the 2025 season.
That will include quarterback Trey Lance, who is expected “to get significant reps” on Sunday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Lance has only appeared in three regular season games since arriving in Dallas via trade in August 2023 with just 38 total passing attempts since the beginning of the 2022 season. This year, he’s completed five of his seven passes for 22 yards and an interception across 20 total snaps.
Lance is set to hit free agency this offseason, so Sunday’s game will be an opportunity to audition for a new contract. He has never lived up to his billing as the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, but his athletic tools could be tantalizing to a team searching for a new backup quarterback.
The Cowboys may still start Cooper Rush, per Rapoport, as they have since Dak Prescott went down with a season-ending injury in early November. However, an extended appearance by Lance could have significant financial consequences for Rush. He has already earned $250k for playing 45% of the Cowboys’ offensive snaps this year and could double that if he hits 55% by the end of Week 18, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.
“We’re aware,” said Rush with a chuckle about his incentive. The 31-year-old quarterback’s snap share currently sits at 52.3%. A full game could earn him another $250K, but the Cowboys’ desire to evaluate Lance could get in the way.
Cheap a$$ Jerry. Doesn’t want to pay the extra $250K to Rush.
I rarely defend Jerry but it’s McCarthy who decides who gets the game snaps and who doesn’t. Of course if McCarthy still has interest in staying in Dallas, saving Jerry some chump change wouldn’t hurt his chances.
Could also be that Cooper Rush has been completely awful
They’d be crazy not to give the former number 3 a chance.
Sam Darnold exists
Who actually believes that Jones wouldn’t order McCarthy to play a given player? He is a trash owner, and very vindictive. My guess is that McCarthy walks on his own.
What a bunch of BS. You pretty much either start or you don’t start.
What’s the infatuation with this loser?
Good question. Dallas has been a lousy franchise for decades, yet somehow some people think of them as America’s Team. More like America’s Doormat.
You’re right, SF sunk the cost into wasting their draft picks on him. Dallas owes him nothing, which is what he’ll do on Sunday, nothing.
I’m still shocked he was a third overall pick. Goes to show you how overrated scouts are
Lame. Jerry can pay any bonus he chooses if a player fails to meet the contractual agreement? There is NOWAY the team is taking Cooper Rush out to avoid a bonus. Haters make up whatever they want to fit their narrative.
No, pay is strictly according to contracts per the CBA. No owner can pay a player more than they are contractually entitled to – it literally is a violation of the salary cap part of the union agreement.
It’s probably a little bit of both
A lot of us expected them to announce Lance as the week 18 starter regardless of this bonus debacle
He was a good QB with San Fran until the injury. Then Brock took over and never really got a chance after that. He never got a chance In Dallas. I get that practice is different than games. I know they have player development people. But never getting game time is the reason why he isn’t doing great things. He’s almost like a rookie. Someone will pick him up if they do not give him a contract and then he will make it a mission to destroy us. And I won’t blame him.
He was never a good QB in SF before the injury. They only played him because they had to justify using so much draft capital on him, but they knew he was in over his head. He never got a chance in Dallas because they knew really quickly that he wasn’t up to it, otherwise he would’ve been starting over Rush.