Cowboys' Jerry Jones Says Team Won't Start Trey Lance: 'Wins Are Important for Us'

The Dallas Cowboys won't consider a quarterback change following Monday's 27-20 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Cooper Rush, who has started in place of Dak Prescott, threw for fewer than 200 yards for the second straight game. Still, team owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan (via The Athletic's Jon Machota) he believes Rush rather than backup Trey Lance "gives us our best chance" and that "wins are important" with Dallas sitting at 5-8.

For his career, Rush has thrown for 2,810 yards, 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions with an 81.6 passer rating and a 60.0 percent completion rate. He's a replacement-level quarterback at best who, at 31, doesn't have any upside.

That's why it's perhaps telling the Cowboys won't elevate Lance to the starting role.

Still only 24, the 2021 first-round pick theoretically has some untapped potential. And it was only last year when Dallas gave up a fourth-round pick in order to get him from the San Francisco 49ers.

The Cowboys aren't eliminated from the playoffs just yet, but three games separate them from the Washington Commanders for the NFC's final wild-card spot. It's hard to see any path to the postseason.

Jones and head coach Mike McCarthy seemingly have nothing to lose by giving Lance a shot with the first team. A few strong starts could do wonders toward building up his confidence and shifting the perception of his abilities.

Either the Cowboys brass has a woefully misguided view of the team's playoff odds, or McCarthy simply doesn't trust Lance to run the offense.

Regardless of the explanation, it's the worst possible outcome for Lance as he heads toward free agency this coming spring.