Frontrunner Emerges in Backup QB Competition Behind Dak Prescott

There's a full-fledged competition brewing within the Dallas Cowboys for backup quarterback duties behind Dak Prescott. Ben DiNucci was the presumed choice, but his lackluster preseason performance has opened the door for both Cooper Rush and Garrett Gilbert.

Head coach Mike McCarthy's choice for first-team reps during Tuesday's practice could be an indication of a new frontrunner.

Cowboys Backup QB 2021

It's Rush who will lead the first team on Tuesday. McCarthy stated that the 27-year-old QB has "earned the opportunity" to showcase what he can do with the starters. This could turn out to be a turning point in this battle of the signal-callers if Rush seizes the moment.

DiNucci's struggles were on full display on Saturday when he racked up 3 interceptions against the Houston Texans and took two sacks for a loss of 18 yards. Rush was the polar opposite, completing 10-of-12 passes for 97 yards and 2 TDs. Gilbert only attempted five passes in that contest, but could see a bump in playing time in the final preseason tilt this weekend.

Dallas at least has options behind Prescott, but it remains to be seen which one will prove themselves worthy of earning the backup role.

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Isaiah De Los Santos is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Isaiah De Los Santos also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username zayyy05328. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.