Cowboys BREAKING: Sign Cooper Rush to New Contract? Stephen Jones Reveals Plan
FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19-3 in Week 1. Also lost during the game was starting quarterback Dak Prescott to a broken thumb.
Before the Prescott exit, the Cowboys' offense was already M.I.A., and after backup quarterback Cooper Rush entered the game, it didn't get any better.
But now? Maybe a reevaluation of what Rush is has come due. But, Cowboys COO Stephen Jones revealed to us on Thursday during practice here inside The Star, that does not mean the Cowboys are going to reevaluate their general policy on negotiating contracts in season.
“That’s a conversation for upstairs and in the off-season,” Jones said when asked about offering Rush a contract extension. “Right now we’re just focused on trying to win a football game.”
Our thoughts?
All things considered - and we make our case below - the Cowboys have lucked into/worked their way into a capable backup QB to Dak ... a difficult thing to find.
The locker room trusts Rush as a helper - and a bit more than that, as he will again be the first-teamer in Week 6 at Philadelphia with Dak rehabbing. (Full story here). Owner Jerry Jones and the front office should therefore approach Rush - NOW - to discuss a new contract.
Consider ...
The season, as of Week 1, was declared lost by some fans and media types, and expectations for the rest of the year were lowered to non-existent.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the No. 1 overall draft pick.
The Cowboys won. Then won again. And again. And again. To the tune of a current four-game winning streak. Without Prescott. With Rush.
Starting with the Week 2 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, and all the way through Sunday's victory over the reigning Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams. All Rush and the Cowboys have done is win.
Is it because of Rush? No. But he's done his part ... and backup QB can play a critical part.
Rush has proven what a fine "game manager'' he is. But digging deeper, and you don't have to dig very far, it's evident that this offense is no longer elite. As a matter of fact, this offense is not even good.
But, thanks to a dominating defense that allows just 14.4 points per game, the 17.4 points per game scored by the offense is just enough for wins.
If you exclude the three points scored in Week 1, Dallas is averaging 21 points per game with Rush as the starter. That's still nothing to brag about.
But it's enough for a 4-1 record. And therefore there should be "enough'' money to try to keep him, preemptively.
Sunday against the Rams, Rush attempted just 16 passes, completing only 10 for 102 yards. That's hardly a stat line you see from a winning quarterback in the NFL.
But the Cowboys did win, helped by outstanding defensive play and a special teams touchdown.
Rush has thrown just 118 passes in the four-plus games he's appeared in this season, completing 72 for 839 yards. But most importantly, he's thrown four touchdowns and no interceptions. That's the definition of a good game manager. … and he’ll manage as the starter this Sunday night as Dak continues his rehab ramp-up while 4-1 Dallas plays at 5-0 Philly.
Rush is making just over $1 million dollars this season and becomes an unrestricted free agent at the season's end.
Are teams going to be clamoring for the services of Cooper Rush next offseason? Maybe. Will Dallas be smart to do something it to keep him? Absolutely. Is there a reason to wait on making a solid offer? Not to us.
But there is … to the guy in charge of such matters. So … Stephen Jones’ Cowboys will continue to try to win football games. Something that they have been very successful at so far this year.
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