Mike McCarthy, the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, has revealed his quarterback hierarchy, and it might surprise some. According to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, veteran Cooper Rush will open the season as the Cowboys’ backup quarterback, while Trey Lance will be the number three spot.”Cowboys High Court” Cooper Rush will be Dak Prescott’s backup, according to Mike McCarthy, and Trey Lance will open the season as the quarterback three, Meirov said on X, formerly Twitter.
Some people might be surprised by this considering that the Cowboys used a fourth-round pick to acquire Lance, the 49ers’ third-choice overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, during the previous season. This preseason, Lance gave the spectators the whole show, showcasing not only his exceptional athleticism and arm talent but also his undeveloped decision-making skills. During the Cowboys’ game against the Chargers, this was evident as the former standout player from North Dakota State amassed 423 total yards but also threw five interceptions.
In recent years, Rush has proven to be a dependable backup quarterback for the Cowboys, starting six games and winning five of them. During Prescott’s injury-plagued 4-1 stretch in 2022, he impressively kept Dallas afloat.
What the Cowboys can anticipate in 2024
Many people were asking why Jerry Jones and the rest of the front office were not doing more to take advantage of the Cowboys’ alleged Super Bowl window after an exciting offseason. Numerous contract conflicts arose, some of which are still pending. After a protracted protest, standout wide receiver Ceedee Lamb ultimately agreed to a contract extension that will make him the NFL’s second-highest paid non-quarterback. Dak Prescott still needs to get his own deal, and it looks like he will not get one in time to see out his contract’s last year in 2024.
With Lamb back on the club, the offensive ought to continue to be above average. Being in a contract year, Prescott should be driven as he is still one of the best quarterbacks. Lamb has formally established himself as one of the NFL’s top wide receivers, and he and Prescott have some of the best chemistry. Tyron Smith’s departure could cause a slight regression for the offensive line, but overall, the unit should still be strong.
With Micah Parsons mauling opposition backfields and Trevon Diggs likely returning to full health at some point, the pass defense should also be strong. However, McCarthy’s squad’s greatest weakness is still their run defense. The Cowboys had a terrible time stopping the ground game in 2023, and they did not take many steps this offseason to remedy those issues. The defense’s spine is still small, and Eric Kendricks, the new linebacker, is past his prime. Mike Zimmer, the new defensive coordinator, has a challenging task ahead of him.
Overall, the Cowboys should be competitive for the NFC East title and a postseason berth thanks to a very good quarterback and an outstanding wide receiver. But their limits might prevent them from continuing.
Overall, the Cowboys should be competitive for the NFC East title and a postseason berth thanks to a very good quarterback and an outstanding wide receiver. Their limits, though, might prevent them from going much farther than that.
