The Dallas Cowboys are facing another challenge in their already difficult 2024 season. With a struggling offense, a lame-duck head coach, and a defense plagued by injuries, they will now be without Dak Prescott for at least a few weeks due to a reported hamstring strain.
This new issue puts extra pressure on Mike McCarthy, a head coach not known for making great in-season adjustments, to find solutions. The immediate answer at quarterback will be Cooper Rush, who has served as a reliable backup for nearly a decade. However, if Prescott is placed on injured reserve during the team’s playoff push, McCarthy and Jerry Jones may look for additional help.
Here’s a look at the Cowboys’ options beyond Prescott, starting with the two quarterbacks currently on the roster and considering others who could be brought in if the team expects Prescott to miss significant time.
1. Cooper Rush (Incumbent)
Rush is the next man up. Having been with the Cowboys since 2017, he knows the playbook well and has made six starts, winning five of them.
While that sounds promising, Rush’s performance has been far from exceptional. Since 2022, he’s completed under 60% of his passes and holds a 6:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio in a span equivalent to six starts (including five actual starts and injury replacements). In 2022, he was 4-1 while Prescott dealt with a thumb injury, benefitting from a strong rushing attack featuring Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard, plus a top-five scoring defense. But in 2024, only one NFL team has rushed for fewer yards than Dallas, and their defense ranks 31st in points allowed.
The Cowboys need a playmaker at quarterback to make a serious playoff push. While Prescott himself has struggled with efficiency this season, Rush is unlikely to offer much more than average quarterbacking at best. That might be enough to win a few games, but it’s hard to envision him leading a flawed team into the postseason.
2. Trey Lance (Rush’s Backup)
If Rush falters, the Cowboys could turn to former top-three pick Trey Lance. Unfortunately, Lance has struggled since being traded to Dallas, having been outplayed by Brock Purdy and then moved to Texas for a low price—just a late fourth-round pick.
Lance hasn’t played a snap since being benched for Purdy in 2022, after completing only 15 of 31 passes that season before suffering a broken ankle. In 2024, he’s in his second year with the Cowboys and had not cracked the top two on the quarterback depth chart before Prescott’s injury.
There are some positive traits to Lance’s game. His mobility would be valuable behind a line that struggled to protect Prescott in Week 9, and he’s shown the ability to push the ball downfield (with a 15.5% deep-ball rate as a rookie). However, Lance has had trouble completing those deep throws (a -18.1% completion percentage over expected in 2022) and his rushing success rate was only 42.1% as a rookie. More concerning is his inability to shine in a system with playmakers that elevate quarterbacks, which raises questions about what he could do with Dallas’ weapons like CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson.
3. Ryan Tannehill (Currently Unemployed)
Ryan Tannehill, who is currently a free agent, is the most experienced quarterback still available. At 36 years old, he’s coming off his least efficient season in a decade, struggling with injuries and eventually being replaced by Will Levis in Tennessee.
Despite a rough 2023, Tannehill has shown flashes of effectiveness in the past, and the Cowboys could potentially sign him to provide a short-term spark, similar to how journeymen like Andy Dalton, Joe Flacco, or Jameis Winston have helped other teams this season. However, Tannehill’s struggles with pressure and his career-low completion rate on deep passes (48.6%) suggest he may no longer be the player he once was. While it’s unlikely that Tannehill could turn into 2024’s version of Flacco—a midseason pickup that ignites a playoff run—the Cowboys may still want to investigate the option.
4. Gardner Minshew II (Las Vegas Raiders)
Gardner Minshew started the season as the Raiders’ quarterback but has since been demoted twice, first for Aidan O’Connell and later in Week 9 for Desmond Ridder. Given these struggles, Minshew might not seem like the answer for the Cowboys, but there are a few reasons why Dallas might still consider him.
Acquiring Minshew could involve restructuring his contract to fit the Cowboys’ cap space, potentially making him an inexpensive option. Despite his struggles in Las Vegas—throwing more interceptions (eight) than touchdowns (six) and significantly lowering his average throw distance to a career-low 6.5 yards—Minshew has shown some resilience against the blitz, with a solid completion rate (62%) and passer rating (85.4%) in such situations. If the gap between Rush and Minshew is minimal, though, it’s hard to justify adding Minshew unless the Cowboys truly believe he brings something extra to the table.
5. Taylor Heinicke (Los Angeles Chargers)
The pool of available quarterbacks isn’t particularly inspiring, but one name to consider is Taylor Heinicke, who is currently playing behind Easton Stick with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Heinicke, 31, recently lost a quarterback battle to Desmond Ridder in Atlanta and completed less than 55% of his passes in 2023. While not known for protecting the ball well, Heinicke is a capable scrambler who can help keep an offense afloat in stretches. He offers more starting experience than Rush, though whether he’d be a significant upgrade is open to question. Heinicke would likely be a low-cost acquisition as a pending free agent, potentially helping the Cowboys down the stretch in 2024.
In conclusion, the Cowboys’ quarterback options beyond Prescott are far from ideal, but with McCarthy under pressure and the playoffs on the line, any of these names could be considered depending on the direction Dallas decides to take.
