Why the Saints should trade for Cooper Rush

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush. Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Why the Saints should trade for Cowboys' Cooper Rush

By Pat Alexander | Last updated 11/1/22

The Saints are 3-5, but New Orleans could turn around its season by trading for Cowboys backup QB Cooper Rush.

The Saints' woes started in Week 2 when reports dropped that incumbent starting quarterback Jameis Winston was dealing with a broken back. Per Jay Glazer of Fox, Winston suffered fractures to his L1 through L4 vertebrae. Winston played through the pain, but the team benched him for Andy Dalton.

Once upon a time, Dalton led teams to 10-win seasons. Those days are gone.

The two interceptions by Andy Dalton after the two-minute warning. First the pick six by Marco Wilson with 1:50 left and then the pick six by Isaiah Simmons with 0:46 on the clock.

The Saints looked to turn that 14-14 into a lead and then went into halftime trailing 14-28. pic.twitter.com/NVd3qSxZ8a
— René Bugner (@RNBWCV) October 21, 2022

Saints drive all the way down the field only for Andy Dalton to throw an interception pic.twitter.com/YBMRaN6A1q
— Action Network NFL (@ActionNetNFL) October 21, 2022

In three plays versus the Cardinals in Week 7, Dalton hit the trifecta for bad picks. On the first interception, Dalton threw behind the receiver on a simple slant route. On the second, Dalton misread the coverage. On the third, he threw into double coverage.

Rush could solve the Saints' QB problem. Stepping in for an injured Dak Prescott in Week 2, Rush went 4-1 as a starter. The sixth-year pro has spent his career as a backup but has shown flashes of above-average play.

Cooper Rush to Noah Brown for the @DallasCowboys TD!

: #CINvsDAL on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/AyfpfGIkql pic.twitter.com/oxBY71tEh6
— NFL (@NFL) September 18, 2022

Cooper Rush TD to CeeDee Lamb pic.twitter.com/7R586z3BNl
— ✭Cowboys News✭ (@DemBoyz_News) October 2, 2022

Touchdown Cooper Rush to CeeDee Lamb pic.twitter.com/WlMgE7piKB
— ✭Cowboys News✭ (@DemBoyz_News) September 27, 2022

Like the Cowboys, the Saints are a run-dominant team that relies on play action and the short-to-intermediate passing game. Like Dallas, New Orleans boasts a top-10 defense.

As a Saint, Rush would need to be a good game manager, take a few shots downfield, and use the run game to control the clock.

He'd make a great Saint. Do it, New Orleans.

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