Why Cowboys should start QB Trey Lance for the rest of the season

With their season likely down the drain, the Dallas Cowboys should see what they have in quarterback Trey Lance.

QB Cooper Rush has assumed the starting role since Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending hamstring injury. He's 0-2 in two starts, completing 57.6 percent of his passes for 399 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

During a Tuesday interview with KRLD-FM in Dallas, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hinted they'll stick with Rush in Sunday's road game against the Washington Commanders. 

"I would look for us to stay with experience," he said of the seven-year veteran. 

However, Dallas should accept Rush isn't going to spark a miraculous turnaround. After a 3-7 start, NFL.com lists the Cowboys' playoff odds at a meager one percent.  

Dallas traded a fourth-round pick to the 49ers for Lance in 2023. Since then, he has played sparingly. In two seasons with Dallas, he has completed 4-of-6 passes for 21 yards and one interception in one regular-season game. 

After the Texans crushed the Cowboys 34-10 in their fifth home loss, head coach Mike McCarthy admitted he regretted not inserting Lance at the end of the game.

"I think the one thing I should've done at the end and just didn't do was put Trey in there," McCarthy told the media. "I could've gotten him a series. That's the one thing I would second-guess myself on. I didn't want to get into putting him in for a play or two because he's more than a gadget player, in my opinion."

Lance's struggles with the 49ers may be giving the Cowboys pause. In two seasons with San Francisco, the 2021 No. 3 overall pick completed 54.9 percent of his passes for five TDs and three picks in eight regular-season games. He went 2-2 in four starts. 

Despite the unimpressive résumé, Lance could still have some untapped potential. 

Not giving Lance a chance would be foolish for the Cowboys. At this point, there's little downside to playing the 24-year-old, and Dallas must determine whether he's worth keeping in the last year of his rookie contract.