Why Would Dallas Cowboys Trade Away Dak Prescott Backup Cooper Rush?

As part of the game, Cowboys Nation gets to "play GM,'' and that is happening now as it regards the future of Cooper Rush.

FRISCO - "Asset management'' in the NFL is a complicated game, and no team is as scrutinized in that department as the Dallas Cowboys.

Why? Mostly because, at least in terms of perception, Jerry Jones' ownership represents a high-profile and "different'' method of operation.

As part of the game, Cowboys Nation gets to "play GM,'' and that is happening now as it regards the future of Cooper Rush.

To wit, one colleague, Heavy.com’s NFL insider Matt Lombardo, is suggesting the Cowboys trade Rush now.

Another, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, is writing that the quarterback just made himself “a ton of money'' as "he gets offers for backup jobs and cashes some pretty nice checks, too.”

And then there is Mike Florio at ProFootballTalk.com, who has conveniently massaged an innocuous Rush comment about his competency into a loud headline insisting that Rush told him that "he thinks he’s proven he can be a starter in the NFL elsewhere.''

Let's handle these three angles, item by item ...

1) Trade Rush - With all due respect to Lombardo, Rush's value as a backup QB - one of the most coveted and difficult-to-find commodities in the sport - is why a trade is, at the very least, counterintuitive. Matt suggests the Cowboys try to get "a third- to fourth-round pick'' from San Francisco so Rush can become the backup to Jimmy Garoppolo.

But ... if it is smart for the contending 49ers to have Rush as a backup to Jimmy G, why isn't it just as smart for the contending Cowboys to have the same setup behind the rehabbing Dak Prescott?

Rush, by the way, is on a one-year deal. So he can indeed leave Dallas after this season. ... at which point the Cowboys would be due a compensatory pick - that might end up being right about the same pick that Lombardo is suggesting the team get in exchange for a trade.

So, Dallas can a) have Rush now and let him go later in exchange for a pick, or ... b) trade Rush now, proceed without a backup QB, and later get a pick.

A trade is obviously a non-factor here.

2) Sign Rush. As we've noted, Rush will be a free agent this offseason and, as we've noted, the Cowboys are purposely choosing to deal with him contractually at that time.

As COO Stephen Jones told us this week regarding trying to do a contract with Rush now: “That’s a conversation for upstairs and in the off-season. Right now we’re just focused on trying to win a football game.”

We don't agree with the strategy, as we agree with Breer in our belief that a payday is coming here ... and that Dallas should be proactive in avoiding a mini-bidding war. But we're not sure the Cowboys should fear, as Breer suggests, Rush leaving for "offers for backup jobs and nice checks.''

If what Rush wants is to have a "backup job'' - which we doubt is his goal - the odds increase that he'll simply stay in Dallas.

No, the concern is that somebody will wildly overpay for Rush to be their starter ... at which point the Cowboys will again be one of the many teams without a proven quality No. 2.

3) Lose The 'Cocky' Rush. Wait ... What?

“I spoke to (Rush) after the (Rams) game,'' reports Florio, talking during the October 2 edition of NBC’s “Football Night in America.” He said he thinks he’s proven he can be a starter in the NFL elsewhere. ...''

But ... nope. That's not really what Rush said. Rather, Florio put words in Rush's usually-closed mouth about whether he thinks that. And Rush answered with some coach-speak along the lines of, "Yeah, I'm just here to help the team blah-blah.''

Florio also tossed something into his presentation about a "quarterback controversy,'' which is standard fare, but ...

On his role, Dak's role, the Cowboys' priorities, Cooper Rush has expressed his views, twice weekly, for the last month. Amid the silliness, the speculation and the scrutiny, he has never wavered. He put this approach on display again this week as he prepped - maybe one last time, as Prescott's thumb is healing - to be the starter, this week at the 5-0 Eagles.

Said Rush of Dak: "He has helped tremendously, our room, myself and everyone else. On the sidelines, he's bringing energy. It's just who he is as a person, our leader. ... He obviously wants to play, and whenever he's ready, he will."

That's it. That's the quote. That's the story. That's Cooper Rush's effort to perform his own "asset management.'' And he's been as good at that as he has in his 4-0 on-field work.

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