Key Takeaways:
– The Dallas Cowboys are promoting Trey Lance as a substitute for star quarterback Dak Prescott.
– The team is speculated to demote popular backup Cooper Rush to the practice squad amid the transition.
– Though negotiations for Prescott’s contract extension are sluggish, insiders believe the Cowboys will ultimately settle for a mega-deal.
– The Cowboys’ strategy regarding their QB roster is raising questions.
The Dallas Cowboys to Promote Trey Lance
The Dallas Cowboys have spent the better part of nine months striving to assure their steadfast fans and fellow players that they have a noteworthy alternative to superstar quarterback Dak Prescott. Their plan has been to push Trey Lance, who they traded for during last year’s summer training camp, into the spotlight.
The Cowboys have mostly depended on showmanship rather than outright proofs to establish Lance as the potential substitute. However, as mandatory workouts commence and training camps for the 2024 season start to take shape, there is an escalating need for them to substantiate their claims. This need primarily arises from Prescott’s pending contract extension. Until it is settled, the promotion of Lance offers the Cowboys their only bargaining chip.
Backup QB Cooper Rush’s Role Controversially Diminishing
The repercussions of these actions inevitably trickle down. If the Cowboys hope to uphold this façade while Prescott’s drama unfolds, they will have to make crucial decisions. Should this saga stretch over the summer, it becomes necessary for Lance to secure the No. 2 QB position, inadvertently demoting a fan-favorite, Cooper Rush.
Rush, who has reliably held the backup position for seven seasons, might not only shift from No. 2 to No. 3 but also may end up on the practice squad. This potential move could prove to be a tough pill to swallow for Rush, who jumped to the limelight, winning sports fans over with a stunning 4-0 record at the start of his solo run when Prescott was injured in 2022. He even set a new Cowboys record by beginning his career with a 5-0 streak as a starter.
Prescott’s Slow Negotiations and Implications
According to Jeremy Fowler, an NFL insider at ESPN, the Cowboys’ tactic with Prescott is mere theatricality. Fowler states that soon enough, the team will undoubtedly sign Prescott to a mega-deal, possibly relegating Rush back as the No. 2 QB and subsequent trading of Lance. In a recent ESPN appearance, Fowler commented, “The Cowboys are all in on re-signing Dak Prescott. They just haven’t shown it yet.” He reinforced this statement with a tweet stating that although talks with Prescott have been slow, there is ample time to finalize a deal during the summer.
However, this raises questions about the Cowboys’ intent with Lance. Despite them trading a fourth-round pick for him, sitting him out for an entire season, and having him on the books for a whopping $5.3 million this year, were these actions merely to earn some leverage over Prescott? If they intend to utilize the leverage they gained with Lance, they need to retain him, withhold Prescott’s contract, and figure out an alternative plan for Rush. This alteration could mean trading, cutting, or sending Rush to the practice squad. The clear-cut path forward for the Cowboys remains uncertain amidst all the speculation.