Cowboys’ Mike McCarthy Had High Praise for QB Trey Lance’s Progression

Madison Williams | May 30, 2024

Sep 17, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Trey Lance (15) throws a pass before the game against the New York Jets at AT&T Stadium. / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Cowboys picked up quarterback Trey Lance last August, but he has yet to appear in a game for the team, as the 2021 No. 3 pick acted as the third-string quarterback last season.

Lance is now competing against Cooper Rush for the backup quarterback position behind Dak Prescott, and coach Mike McCarthy is sounding more confident about the former San Francisco 49ers starter.

"He was on a learning curve but now he is starting to get the timing," McCarthy said on Thursday, via NFL Network's Jane Slater. "He's close to being a master of the system. He has a really high understanding. … He just needs as many reps as he can.”

McCarthy's opinion of Lance reiterates the quarterback's comments from a few days prior, in which he stated that his confidence is "much higher than it was when I got into the NFL," via the team's website.

Rush appeared in seven games last season as the backup quarterback, but his real stardom came during the 2022 season when he started in five games during Prescott's injury absence. He went on a four-game winning streak during that time.