FRISCO, Texas — The timeline for the return of Dak Prescott has yet to be determined by the Dallas Cowboys, though it's likely he'll be moved to injured reserve with the hamstring injury suffered against the Atlanta Falcons. In his absence, head coach Mike McCarthy has made it clear the quarterback rotation will feature Cooper Rush as QB1 and Trey Lance on standby as QB2.
For Lance, this marks the closest he's been to meaningful in-game action for the Cowboys since arriving via trade with the San Francisco 49ers in late August 2023, his only game action thus far having occurred in this year's preseason slate.
"Last year was probably a whole different story," said the former third-overall pick. "But having gone through the whole offseason program, and this season up to this point — great coaches, great guys around me — I feel prepared if that opportunity does happen at some point."
It's unknown when/if that point will arrive, and Lance has full faith in the abilities of Rush, who stepped into the fourth quarter against the Falcons and gave them a solid chance at mounting a comeback.
The effort fell six points shy, but Rush looked very much as confident as when he led the Cowboys to a 4-1 record in Prescott's absence in 2022, that stint created by a calf injury.
"Man, you saw it," said Lance of Rush. "I think, on Sunday, he made a ton of plays and I think we didn't make as many plays as we needed to in the game, but I think he came in and gave us every opportunity to win."
As for himself, the 24-year-old has served exclusively as the Cowboys' emergency quarterback over the past two seasons, but he says it's given him an opportunity to improve the mental aspect of his game and that includes learning from Prescott, Rush and McCarthy to evolve within the scheme.
"Yeah, I feel like I'm in a really good spot right now," Lance said. "Having gone through, like I said, the whole offseason program, training camp and everything, having a full year and some under my belt now — being around these guys helps a ton — I've learned how to see the game in different ways, and how different coaches see it and different guys.
"I've kind of taken everything I possibly can from the two teams I've played for, and I'm trying to learn as much as I can from it."
Owners of a 3-5 record and needing to find a way to stave off disaster while Prescott heals over the next several weeks, it'll be interesting to see if Lance gets any reps at all, but one thing is for sure.
And that's the fact he's more confident than he's ever been.
