'The Education of Trey Lance': Dallas Cowboys Coach Analyzes Progress of Dak Prescott Backup

'The Education of Trey Lance': Dallas Cowboys Coach Analyzes Progress of Dak Prescott Backup

Despite what your favorite pundit may have told you, the Dallas Cowboys didn’t trade for quarterback Trey Lance to light a fire under their franchise quarterback or give him competition out of concern for the starting job.

Dak Prescott is this team’s starting quarterback -- and a damn good one at that.

Trading for Lance gave Dallas the unique opportunity to "invest.'' Maybe in a No. 2 of the future. Maybe in more. In the event that Lance ever sees playing time and plays well, some other quarterback-needy team will likely pay more than the fourth-round pick the Cowboys gave up. There are multiple opportunities for positive return on investment, none of which threaten Prescott’s job security.

Lance jogs off the field of his former stomping grounds in San Francisco / Darren Yamashita - USA TODAY Sports

With that said, there’s a reason the former third-overall pick was traded for a late-round selection. He’s not ready to be a legitimate starting quarterback at the moment. He’s raw, a consequence of playing so infrequently. Lance has thrown 310 in-game passes since he enrolled at North Dakota State … in 2018. For reference, Prescott has 300 attempts this season.

Developing Lance means keeping him as the third-string quarterback, so game-planning duties and the stresses of potential NFL action can be handled by veteran Cooper Rush.

Head coach Mike McCarthy gave some insight into Lance’s development, revealing that Lance’s mechanical work is done at “quarterback school,” a pre-practice session that happens in the indoor facility Ford Center at The Star.

“The nice thing is he’s working right with Dak and Cooper,” McCarthy said. “It’s important for the other quarterbacks in the room to emulate the starter. You can see, as they go through the drills, his footwork is getting closer and closer to those guys.”

The less transition an offense has to go through when a starting quarterback goes down, the better. It’s imperative that Lance is not only on the same page schematically, but operating within the timing of the offense is a must. If that can be achieved, it’s possible Lance’s tools would keep Dallas afloat.

Time and time again, backup quarterbacks who lack the physical talent to be starters get thrust into games and operate a quick-game-based, limited offense that is a shell of its usual self. Of course, there’s a drop-off from Prescott to whatever Lance would hypothetically provide, but by keeping plays alive when things break down and allowing the quarterback to remain a viable piece of the rushing attack, defenses have less to key in on.

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If Prescott were to go down, Rush would take over in-game to stop the bleeding. Would an honest conversation ever be had to propose Lance as the starter? Only in the event of an unlikely Rush flop.

Also worth mentioning: NFL rules mean that Lance, as the weekly third-string QB, is eligible to play only if Nos. 1 and 2 get hurt. So the calls to "Put in Lance!'' during blowouts (we're looking at you, Skip Bayless) are calls to do something that is literally illegal.

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So for now, it's about the Cowboys coaching staff working with the newcomer as a project. McCarthy, though, looks to be impressed with what Lance has shown.

“I feel real good about the progress he’s made,'' the coach said.