Troy Aikman: Dak Prescott vs. Cooper Rush a 'Real Question' Cowboys Have to Answer

Even Troy Aikman can't help but get caught up in a potential Dallas Cowboys controversy.

The Hall of Famer wondered whether the Cowboys might stick with Cooper Rush over Dak Prescott if Dallas can beat the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.

Rush is 4-0 as a starter since taking over for an injured Prescott in Week 1's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He's thrown for 839 yards and four touchdowns without an interception and is fifth in the NFL with a 66.9 QBR.

With the Cowboys off to a hot start and Rush playing admirably in Prescott's stead, there has been an increasingly loud chorus wondering if he's their best option under center.

In a word: No.

There is nothing to be gained from the Cowboys sticking with Rush over the long term. His steady play has allowed Prescott to go through a natural recovery process rather than potentially rushing back to save the season, but there is no part of this Dallas offense lighting the world on fire.

The Cowboys are 27th in total offense, 24th in scoring offense and 27th in passing offense. This has been a team propped up by a dominant defense, with Rush playing the role of game manager well enough that he's earned himself a 12-year career and millions of dollars as a backup.

Even as Aikman speculated on whether the Cowboys should move forward with Rush, he made the only point that matters: "Dak is the quarterback of this franchise. I love the guy. And they're better with Dak at quarterback."

Prescott also carries $89 million of dead cap money if he's traded or released next offseason, per Spotrac. He carries an additional $39.9 million in the 2024 offseason.

There are no positive outcomes if the Cowboys bench a healthy Prescott for Rush. You risk alienating Prescott and then having to turn back to a disgruntled franchise quarterback when your backup starts playing like one.

The next logical step is giving the keys to the kingdom back to the guy who signed a $160 million contract a year ago and see if he can help the offense catch up to the elite defense.