Cowboys' Trey Lance Would 'Love the Opportunity' to Play amid Dak Prescott Injury

Cooper Rush entered Sunday's loss for the Dallas Cowboys after Dak Prescott exited with a hamstring injury, but Trey Lance is hoping to play some moving forward with the starter now expected to be sidelined for the foreseeable future.

"I'd love the opportunity to get on the field any way I can, if that's what Coach thinks is best," Lance said Wednesday, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. " … I feel like I'm in a real good spot right now."

He also said he "absolutely" believes he can run the offense with a confidence level that is "as high as it can get."

Prescott's setback is the latest blow for the Cowboys amid a disappointing start to the campaign.

They are just 3-5 and have seen other notable players, including Micah Parsons, miss time. They were also blown out at home against the New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions and have plenty of ground to make up if they are going to be a factor in the NFC playoff race.

"I felt something pull," Prescott told reporters when discussing his injury. "I felt something I've never felt."

While Rush is a veteran with more experience than Lance, he also doesn't bring the highest ceiling to the offense. He has appeared in 30 games since 2017 with nine touchdown passes to six interceptions and was never expected to be anything more than a backup as an undrafted free agent.

Lance, by comparison, was the No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft and was once seen as someone with the potential to become a franchise signal-caller. Yet injuries largely prevented him from ever having enough of an opportunity to prove himself on the San Francisco 49ers.

He has appeared in eight games with four starts in his career, although his last contest was in 2022. At his best, he is someone who can make plays with his legs, which would add another element to the Cowboys offense.

Ultimately, Lance has a higher ceiling than Rush. Whether Dallas factors that into its decision-making process, especially if the season continues to slip away from it if it loses more games without Prescott, remains to be seen.

But the 24-year-old was clear he would like the chance to play.