Why isn’t Trey Lance starting? Cooper Rush gets the nod for the Cowboys

On November 19, 2024By Littum

The Dallas Cowboys took a hit in Week 9 when he started at quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending hamstring strain.

The injury came as it did Cowboys dropped to 3-5 on the season. They weren’t completely out of the NFC playoffs, but any chance of contending in a conference that already had a ton of six-win teams seemed slim.

With that in mind, Dallas faced a tough decision at quarterback. Would it start veteran Cooper Rush instead of Prescott, or would it give Trey Lancethe No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, a chance to show what he can do as he prepares to hit free agency.

In the end, the Cowboys chose to run with Rush. There was a simple reason for that, according to team owner and general manager Jerry Jones.

Why isn’t Trey Lance starting for the Cowboys?

The Cowboys aren’t starting Lance because they believe Rush gives them the best chance to stay competitive with Prescott out.

“Cooper has shown he has the ability to compete and win games,” Jones said in an interview on 105.3 The Fan after Week 10. “He gives us our best chance.”

Rush has largely been a winner in his limited reps as a starter. He entered the 2024 NFL season with a 5-1 record in six starts with the Cowboys. He won the first five starts of his 2021-22 career, becoming just the 14th quarterback — and first Cowboy — in NFL history to accomplish the feat.

That said, Rush struggled in his first start of the 2024 season. He completed 13-of-23 passes in the contest, but generated a paltry 45 yards while leading the Cowboys offense to just six points.

Still, Jones wasn’t worried about Rush’s performance against a Philadelphia Eagles defense that has been one of the best in the NFL since their Week 5 bye.

“Honestly, it was really an out of character game for him based on what we’ve seen and we know about Cooper,” Jones said.

If Rush can’t improve his performance while continuing to start, the Cowboys will likely turn to Lance. But as long as Jones’ main goal is winning, it appears he’s content to stick with Rush, who has spent most of the last eight years in the Cowboys organization.

Trey Lance stats vs. Cooper Rush Stats

For those wondering, Lance has a 2-2 record in four career starts, all of which came San Francisco 49ers. While his winning percentage may not be as sharp as Rush’s, the 24-year-old’s passer rating and yards per carry are surpassing. try both Rushes, demonstrating the North Dakota State product’s high ceiling.

Below is a look at how Lance’s stats compare to Rush’s:

Trey Lance career statistics

Record: 2-2
Comp. %: 55.6
Passed by: 818
Passed TDs: 5
INTs: 4
Assessment: 79.9
Yards/trials: 7.6
Carrier: 57
Rushing shipyards: 252
Hating TDs: 1

Cooper Rush Career Statistics

Record: 5-2
Comp. %: 59.7
Passed by: 1,831
Passed TDs: 9
INTs: 6
Assessment: 79.1
Yards/trials: 6.1
Carrier: 37
Rushing shipyards: 13
Hating TDs: 0

When Can Cowboys Start Trey Lance?

There isn’t a concrete answer to this question, but it will likely depend on where the Cowboys are in the standings. Entering Week 11, they sat in 13th place in the NFC, three games behind Green Bay Packers‘ pace for the No. 7 seed and a wild-card bid.

As long as Dallas stays within striking distance of that goal and Jones believes the Rush give them the best chance to win, the 30-year-old will likely remain entrenched as a starter.

That said, if the Cowboys can’t keep pace and the Rush continue to struggle behind Dallas’ shakier-than-usual offensive line, Lance could get a chance to prove himself. He’s slated to be a free agent after the season, so the Cowboys might want to reap the benefits that would come from starting the first-round pick.

Dallas could relish a chance to get a look at Lance and see if he’s worth keeping as a developmental project behind Prescott. The Cowboys may also be interested in getting him some reps in hopes that another team might be interested in signing him. That would position Dallas to land a compensatory pick for the quarterback, which would help offset the fourth-round pick it gave up in 2023 to acquire him.

But again, this doesn’t seem likely to happen until the Cowboys are out of contention. However, it could happen as early as Week 12 if Rush struggles Houston Texasso Lance’s candidacy to start will likely be evaluated week by week going forward.