The Cowboys aren't interested in developing a young quarterback.
Despite their record of 3 wins and 7 losses, their chances of making the playoffs are less than 1 percent. ESPN oddsThe Cowboys will continue to start veteran Cooper Rush over projected Trey Lance.
Owner Jerry Jones said he will start against Washington in Week 12 to give the team a chance to win after Monday's 34-10 loss to the Texans. Per DLLS.
Later in a radio interview on Tuesday, he downplayed the idea of playing Lance.
“I don't know about that.” Jones told 105.3 The Fan. “(Monday) night, I thought Rush had actually improved from the previous game. He didn’t have that far to improve, but I thought he improved. And frankly There were times when I thought there was going to be a real fight in that ball game.
“I know I have limited time to work with these quarterbacks during this unique time, and I look forward to continuing to capitalize on this experience.”
He added: Per CBS: “I think our biggest chance is to get Rush in here. The goal is to win games.”
With the season nearly lost and Dak Prescott sidelined, it seems like it's time for the Cowboys to assess Lance's abilities.
Rush is a serviceable backup, but frankly this is what he is in his seventh season.
In theory, Lance has untapped potential, and a team looking to draft him in the top 10 is likely trying to tap into that potential over time.
The 49ers recognized that Lance needed reps to reach his potential and selected him with the third pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. However, his 2022 season ended early due to injury, with Brock Purdy ultimately winning over Wally Pipp.
Dallas took a shot at Lance for the reasonable cost of a fourth-round pick in a trade before last season, but Lance didn't throw a single pass while Prescott led the team to the No. 2 seed in the playoffs.
Lance has appeared in just one game this season and has thrown six passes.
Jones noted that he thought it was “too important” to use Lance in the Cowboys' last two games, losses to the Eagles and Texans. They needed a win to survive in the playoff race.
Jones also disagreed with the idea that perhaps the Cowboys overestimated Lance's readiness when they acquired him.
“We knew exactly where Trey Lance was when he left San Francisco,” Jones said. “We knew he hadn't played much football. He's improved dramatically. He's got to go out and play.”
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said the team has a special package for Lance, and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer backed up Jones' opinion that Lance has improved.
“We had some preparations for him. [Lance]'' Schottenheimer said, according to CBS. “If you look back at the game, there were a lot of young guys playing. Trey, if he gets in there, he's going to get in there and perform, so yeah, you get him some reps. I want to. The guy is getting better. He's getting reps and he's getting better.
“The great thing is there are some things we can add to the package each week that he feels comfortable with. Hopefully we can put it on display this week.”
