Cowboys mailbag: Questions on Trey Lance, surprise cuts and positions of weakness (2024)

Every week, we take questions on X (Twitter) and Facebook about Dallas Cowboys players and other issues surrounding the team. So let’s get right into it.

“When are the Cowboys going to trade Trey Lance?”

(@Shannon72299715 via Twitter)

Mike: The way things are shaping out, Lance is being pushed to be the backup quarterback as opposed to being on the verge of getting traded. Expect plenty of Lance this preseason and he will more than likely play most of the quarterback snaps during the preseason games.

In terms of what that means for Cooper Rush - absolutely nothing. For both the backup quarterbacks their jobs are pretty safe in the roles they get assigned to. With the new rule on the QB3 position it makes sense to keep three quarterbacks on the roster, but the roles will be reversed from last season. Lance will the be backup and Rush will be the QB3 under the rule.

The only way the roles don’t change is if Lance struggles this preseason, but the organization has already discussed how much better he’s been with his passing and technique.

Dana: As of today, it looks like the Cowboys are going to stick with their fourth-round pick investment in Trey Lance, and as long as Dak Prescott’s future with the Cowboys is not set in stone, it would be difficult to confidently trade him. The plan is for Lance to compete for the QB2 position with Cooper Rush during training camp and preseason. This was confirmed by Stephen Jones according to Nick Harris from the team’s official website. In order for a trade to happen any time soon, a really sweet deal needs comes across Jerry Jones’ desk. And judging based off of other QB trades this offseason, like the Justin Fields trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers for only a conditional 2025 sixth-round pick, it doesn’t seem very likely. However, the likelihood increases if Prescott gets his extension and Lance is able to prove his value to other teams in the preseason.

“Who are your surprise cut candidates?”

(@Craig Sykes via Facebook)

Mike: The first name that comes to mind which would be surprising is Chauncey Golston. Under the Mike Zimmer defense, things will be a lot more traditional. That means a player like Golston, who plays as a hybrid defensive lineman, struggles to fit the scheme. The only way Golston stays is due to the lack of defensive linemen on the roster, but his body type and size makes him tough to play as an inside defensive lineman.

Another surprise cut early before things even get interesting could be Malik Davis. There are a lot of running backs on the roster, especially if you include Hunter Luepke. Davis is the odd man out for this coaching staff and they’ve brought in two free agents with Ezekiel Elliott and Royce Freeman this year. Rico Dowdle is going to play as the lead back and the coaches are working hard to find a role for Deuce Vaughn. It may not be surprising Davis is cut, but this is more a nod to the assumption Davis is cut early to make room for other additions as regular season moves closer.

Dana: Keeping things on theme with the first question, Cooper Rush might not be on this team depending on what happens in the QB2 battle in Oxnard. There has been a lot of positive feedback about Trey Lance and how he has improved coming out of OTAs. He has now had almost a full season to adjust to the Cowboys’ offense and based on his natural talent and draft position, many are expecting him to take that QB2 role from Rush. If that does happen, the Cowboys could keep Rush on the squad as the QB3 or try to look for a worthy trade. If they decide to forgo either of those options, it would make the cut all the more surprising.

“What, if any, positions could use some additional depth heading into training camp?”

(@MrEd315 via Twitter)

Mike: Simply put it’s the 3-tech position. Osa Odighizuwa is the starting defensive tackle, then beyond that is as mentioned earlier it’s Golston, who is built more like a defensive end and an undrafted free agent who falls under the IPPP rules, Denzel Daxon from Illinois. The plan can’t be to get Odighizuwa to play every snap for the entire season. Finding another 3-tech is a priority right now. More specifically, one that’s good at stopping the run:

Dana: DT - As every Cowboys fan is aware, stopping the run is one of the biggest areas of improvement needed for this team heading into 2024. Outside of Osa Odighizuwa, there really isn’t any other reliable player that stands out in the middle of the defensive line. The hope is that Mazi Smith takes a big leap in year two and fits in much better with a Mike Zimmer led defense, but this is yet to be proven. Carl Davis and the two rookies, Justin Rogers and Denzel Daxon, make up the rest of the DT group so far. While it is possible that one of them could break out this season, it would make sense for the Cowboys to add competition to this group before training camp.

WR- WR is another position that could benefit by adding a new face before training camp. CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks are the clear WR1 and WR2, but outside of that, things get a little more muddy. The roster currently has a lot of young WRs with very high potential and any one of them could step up to fill that WR3 role. But if the Cowboys decide to go with something a little less risky, they could look to add a free agent WR. The Cowboys proved that they are not opposed to that idea when they brought in Zay Jones for a visit earlier this month. Although things didn’t work out with Jones, there are still some options available that could be a good fit like Michael Thomas and Hunter Renfrow to name a few.

Be sure to check Blogging The Boys as well as @kenfigkowboy and @day_nuh_bee on X and also Facebook for the weekly post, asking for your questions to include in the weekly mailbag. Many thanks to everyone who send in your questions and votes.