Cowboys Name Cooper Rush As Backup QB

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - AUGUST 13: Quarterback Cooper Rush #10 of the Dallas Cowboys looks to pass during the NFL preseason game at State Farm Stadium on August 13, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Dallas Cowboys 19-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Mike McCarthy announced Wednesday that the team would promote quarterback Cooper Rush to the main roster as a backup to Dak Prescott. Following the final round of preseason cuts, Prescott was the only quarterback on Dallas’ depth chart.

Though the Cowboys only had one quarterback on their depth chart following the preseason, it was never the team’s intention to compete in the regular season without a backup. Rush and fellow quarterback Will Grier both backed up Prescott during the preseason but temporarily moved to the practice squad while the team carried out roster shifts. As active players go on the injured reserve list, it’s likely that Grier will be called up as well at some point.

As the team’s primary backup last season, Rush, a Central Michigan University graduate and unsigned free agent in 2017, did not see significant playing time but had a number of highlights nonetheless. With Prescott out for a game against the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 21, Rush started and threw for 325 yards and two touchdowns, including a go-ahead score to Amari Cooper to give the Cowboys a 20-16 victory.

In the week following the game, McCarthy was highly complimentary of his backup and said that he had his teammates’ unconditional support.

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“I was glad everybody got to see that because that’s Cooper Rush. He plays the quarterback position like a seasoned veteran,” McCarthy said.

Grier, who remains on the practice squad for now, has not made an appearance in an NFL game since the 2019 season, and will clearly serve as the team’s QB3 if he gets called to the main roster.

The pair of backups will only be necessary if Prescott goes down with an injury, but as Rush proved last year, it helps to have a serviceable backup over the course of the season.