Much of the energy fans have spent discussing the Cowboys quarterback situation has centered around whether or not to pay starter Dak Prescott the money which the market dictates he deserves. But those arguments are basically white noise at this point, as it becomes clearer by the day that Prescott is going to be a Cowboy for the foreseeable future.
The actual debate this summer will be about who is backing Prescott up, and will come down to a battle between Cooper Rush and Mike White.
Once an undrafted free agent, Rush earned the backup role in 2017 by beating out now-offensive coordinator Kellen Moore during the preseason. His play was far superior, and Rush even had some fans wondering if he was their next Tony Romo-like diamond in the rough at quarterback.
The Rush hype weathered down quickly, though, as he struggled mightily during the 2018 preseason playing behind a make-shift offensive line. Simply put, he wasn’t good, but he was consistent enough to keep that QB2 job for the 2018 season.
Now, however, it appears to be Mike White’s turn. Or at least that’s likely what the coaching staff is hoping for. White is a former fifth round pick, and came to Cowboys Camp with a hype train of his own, due in-part to the Dallas media’s pre-draft love for his game. White was rather disappointing during the preseason as well, though, and never took the job from Rush the way fans had hoped.
With the depth the Cowboys have at other positions, and the need for them to potentially carry extra players throughout the roster, there likely is only room for two quarterbacks on the final squad. Dak Prescott, obviously, is one. Meaning that either Mike White or Cooper Rush will be the other.
Both quarterbacks should be encouraged by the Cowboys draft class and undrafted signings, as they will have one of the best backup offensive lines in the league. This should give both White and Rush a fair chance to showcase their skills, and potential value to the team.
And while you hope this battle will prove unimportant, you certainly must treat it like it is. Because as durable as Dak Prescott has been throughout his young career, you still want to have some level of confidence in your QB2.
