Cowboys' recently confirmed quarterback plans could lead to drastically different preseason

It's a big year for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Trey Lance. He knows it and most importantly, the coaching staff knows it.

Being on a contract year after a start to his career that he didn't imagine after being picked third overall in 2021, this is the season where he needs to prove he's still worth betting on, whether he's doing that for the Cowboys to double down on him or for another NFL team whose interest he can spark through strong showings. 

Teams will get plenty of looks at him in the preseason, as Mike McCarthy recently confirmed that he'd be getting the majority of the reps once August comes around: "He will take a large part of the preseason, and that's the design. Him and I talk about preseason quite often because that's what we're building towards."

Although McCarthy doesn't say it explicitly, what he means is evident. The preseason will be the Trey Lance Show. Dak Prescott hasn't played August ball since 2019 when Jason Garrett was still coach. Instead, it's been Cooper Rush and others who line up under center for the exhibition showdowns. 

But considering the Cowboys know enough about Rush by now, I wouldn't be surprised if we witness Lance playing 90% of the game just so he can get those valuable reps in. 

Which leads me to this: If the plan is to get Lance the majority of the snaps in preseason for his development and for evaluation purposes, should the Cowboys drastically pivot from the way they usually do things that time of the year?

In other words...

Should the Cowboys play more starters in 2024 preseason? 

It's not only Dak Prescott who doesn't get his name called in August. McCarthy usually rests the majority of his starters across the board. Last year, none of the team's starting offensive linemen played in the preseason. Not even second-year starter Tyler Smith nor Tyler Biadasz. 

If the plan is for them to evaluate Lance, wouldn't it make sense to give him a better supporting cast than five backup linemen? That's without even getting into the wide receivers or tight ends.

McCarthy took a clear stance about the quantity of reps Lance requires but what about the quality of them? 

Lance's biggest question marks are all about his rhythm and technique as McCarthy and QB coach Scott Tolzien have alluded to in recent interviews. What better way to take a look at that than a real-game scenario where he isn't forced to bail from the pocket as a result of poor blocking up front? 

Even if it's for just a small portion of the game, there would be some great value in taking a drastically different approach this of all years as the Cowboys try to get some answers once and for all on who exactly is Trey Lance.