Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys bid farewell to longtime backup quarterback Cooper Rush, who is heading to the Baltimore Ravens.

Rush signed a two-year deal worth up to $12.2 million with Baltimore, where he is expected to serve as Lamar Jackson‘s primary backup. Originally joining the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2017, Rush has spent most of the past eight years in Dallas, aside from a brief stint with the New York Giants in 2020.

When called upon, Rush delivered solid performances in Prescott’s absence, posting a 9-5 record as a starter. Over 14 starts, he compiled 3,463 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and a 60.7% completion rate.

Prescott took to social media to express his gratitude and wish his former teammate well in his next chapter.

“Good luck brother,” Prescott wrote on Instagram, along with a heart emoji.

InstagramDak Prescott’s message for Cooper Rush.

Cowboys Need to Find Backup for Dak Prescott

With Rush no longer in the mix, the Cowboys must address their backup quarterback situation behind Prescott. As it stands, Will Grier is the only other signal-caller on the roster.

Trey Lance, a former first-round pick whom Dallas acquired in 2023 for a fourth-round selection, is expected to depart in free agency after two seasons with limited playing time. With Lance likely moving on, the Cowboys will need to explore alternative options to solidify their quarterback depth.

“We took a shot at Trey and wanted to do that,” Cowboys chief operating officer and co-owner Stephen Jones told The Dallas Morning News in February. “We think the world of Trey. … But us having Dak signed up for the long term, I think he’s probably going to be looking for something different.”

The last time the Cowboys drafted a quarterback was in 2020 when they selected Ben DiNucci in the seventh round. Dallas sounds interested in adding a quarterback to its draft haul.

“You know, I think one of our goals is to get a young quarterback in the draft,” Jones said. “I don’t know where that’s going to be. That’s why we gave a [fourth-round pick] for Trey. It seems like all the quarterbacks, even guys we have in the fourth round, go in the first. They always go so much higher than what you think.”

Dak Prescott Says He’ll Be Ready for Cowboys Opener

Prescott suffered a season-ending hamstring injury on Nov. 3, requiring surgery. Despite the injury and lengthy recovery, Prescott assured he won’t miss time next season.

“I’m not gonna put a timeline on it, but I’ll be ready for the first game and when anything matters and very, very ready,” Prescott said. “I’m feeling good, doing more and more. The last two weeks have been huge and progressive for me.”

Even before his hamstring injury, Prescott’s season was underwhelming, throwing for 1,978 yards, 11 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. When he returns to the field, he’ll be stepping into a revamped Cowboys team led by new head coach Brian Schottenheimer.

Schottenheimer — previously the offensive coordinator in Dallas — replaces Mike McCarthy, who parted ways with the franchise after his contract expired this offseason.

J.R. DeGroote covers the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Lakers for Heavy.com. He graduated from Arizona State and has decades of experience in digital media with previous stops at SBNation and Bleacher Report. He has won multiple state, regional and national honors for sports reporting and photography. More about J.R. DeGroote