Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Should Cowboys Trade Rush, Keep Lance & Grier?

Originally posted on FanNation Cowboy Maven
By Mike Fisher | Last updated 8/28/23

It's being called by some "an embarrassment of riches at quarterback,'' which is probably quite a bloated exaggeration. But no doubt about this: With Dak Prescott, Trey Lance, Cooper Rush and Will Grier all on the roster at the moment, the QB room here at The Star is bloated.

It is the Cowboys' stated plan to cut Grier in order to make room for Lance, just acquired via trade from the Niners; it's so "stated'' that they told Grier about it before his terrific "goodbye game'' in the team’s preseason finale win against the Raiders.

But some thing they should rethink that plan. On the list of thinkers is none other than Dez Bryant, who is pitching the idea of keeping Grier over Rush - and even of playing Dak, Lance and Grier all at the same time ... which isn't exactly how the new "third QB rule'' works, but it's "fantasy thinking'' as Dez says, and it ... funny!

It’s no way the @dallascowboys let @willgrier_ walk

If I’m the cowboys I’m utilizing all 3 QBs with certain packages
Sometimes with all 3 guys on the field at one time

Dak -Lance -Grier

Fantasy thinking
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) August 27, 2023

Also on the list of thinkers are the good people at Heavy.com, who suggest: "What if the Cowboys made a trade of their own to make Lance the team’s clear backup quarterback behind Prescott? The Bengals were one of the teams that were interested in signing Rush to be Joe Burrow’s backup. With Burrow already dealing with a calf injury, Cincinnati’s interest in Rush is likely increased after missing out on the quarterback during free agency.''

Whoa. Slow down. Let's pick through this ...

One, if Dallas did trade Rush, Lance would not be "the team's clear backup behind Prescott.'' Grier would be.

Two, Heavy suggests that Dallas might persuade "the Bengals ... to give up a future fifth-rounder to solidify their QB2 spot by acquiring Rush.'' That is essentially giving away a valuable "12th starter'' for nothing. What would be the Cowboys' reason for doing that?

Three, it's being suggested here that Rush was "highly-coveted'' by the Bengals and other teams this spring. That is ... a stretch. He landed back in Dallas with a two-year deal that can earn him "up to'' $6 million. That's hardly the tell-tale sign of a bidding war.

At some point, the Cowboys are going to have to figure out a pecking order ... but that is way down the line. Prescott is the No. 1 guy and that's unlikely to change for the long-term. Lance doesn't even count $1 million against the cap next year, and his 2024 guaranteed number of $5.3 million is manageable.

The Cowboys like Grier. But not as much as they like Rush. They could move on from Rush in favor of Lance ... someday. But these concepts are for way down the line. At this moment, the Cowboys are trying to beat the Giants in Week 1 and begin a 2023 championship path. And they seem justifiably convinced that Cooper Rush as Dak Prescott's backup is an aid in doing so.