With Lamar Jackson out of the lineup, the Baltimore Ravens have turned to former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush to attempt to steady the lineup. The results have been far worse than expected, with the quarterback imploding on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.
This led to NFL Insider Adam Schefter reporting that Rush has been demoted, with Tyler Huntley taking over his role. This is far from ideal for a player who was thought of as an ideal backup only a season ago. However, extended time in the lineup, both with the Cowboys and Ravens, has exposed the severe limitations.
Over the two games in which Rush was thrust into the lineup, the quarterback was unable to surpass 100 passing yards. Managing only 72 passing yards in the Ravens' Week 6 loss and tossing 4 interceptions over two starts was more than enough to convince Baltimore's coaching staff to turn the page. It is hard to believe that Huntley won't be capable of some level of superior production. It is also fair to wonder if this could be the end for Rush as a backup quarterback. The results have been alarming to say the least.
Former Cowboys Quarterback Cooper Rush Quickly Running out of Road in NFL Career
Just a season ago with the Cowboys, Rush managed to throw 12 touchdowns and 5 interceptions in what was a middling performance. This was why the Cowboys anxiously turned the page to find a young QB capable of elevating the lineup if Dak Prescott were to miss time again in the 2025 season. Joe Milton offers you more potential upside, and that point has been driven home by the poor performance from Rush.
While the Ravens are an objective disaster, there is no world in which this group of weapons shouldn't have 100 receiving yards and offer some ability to move the football. Rush looks completely lost and is unable to complete basic plays or hit open receivers with any level of consistency. Demanding that this change be made and putting his future very much into question.
It is fair to wonder if this is the last we are going to see of the backup in the starting lineup. While the emergency quarterback role will likely extend his career a bit, it is hard to see any team willingly signing up for Rush to be "the guy" or even a reliable No. 2 option after this level of struggle.
For the Cowboys, it serves as confirmation that they made the right decision in turning the page away from Rush. It is also an interesting credit to what the offense accomplished a season ago, even with limited capacity. No question, moving on from the failing backup was one of the few right decisions the Cowboys have made.