Cowboys Send Message to QB Trey Lance After Uneven Outing

The Dallas Cowboys acknowledged that Trey Lance is a work in progress after his uneven preseason performance against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, August 11.

Lance completed 25 of 41 passes for 188 yards against the Rams and failed to score a touchdown in the 13-12 loss. He added 44 yards rushing. Veteran Cooper Rush — who Lance is battling on the depth chart — started the game but played just one series.

Lance made a lot of throws and looked sharp at times. But the Cowboys still want to see more from the former No. 3 overall pick.

“Trying to get as much as I can with him,” coach Mike McCarthy said after the game. “You want to see him running the offense at a high level. The footwork and some of the things we’re asking him to do conceptually are new. We just need work. We just need as much time as we can. I know I say that every time I talk about him, but he’s making good progress. He’s definitely wired the right way. He’s a great athlete. Just a lot of work to do.”

McCarthy also noted some bright spots following Lance’s debut in a Cowboys uniform.

“I really liked his command,” McCarthy said. “Frankly, I tried to … take advantage of every situation that we were in, so those fourth-down snaps, those will pay dividends in the future. I do believe that.”

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Cowboys QB Trey Lance: I Left Some Plays Out There

It was Lance’s first action in nearly a year. The Cowboys traded for him in August before the start of last season, sending a fourth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers. However, he never saw the field following the trade. Lance wasn’t making any “rust” excuses after the game.

“I’d hope to just step back in and be ready to go,” Lance said. “I mean, yeah, it’s been a year, but that’s never going to be an excuse at all. I’ve had a ton of snaps in practice throughout [organized team activities] and training camp, so … Yeah, just excited for next week.”

The source of Lance’s frustration was being unable to lead a touchdown drive. He even got some extra opportunities, with the Dallas defense picking off Rams QB Stetson Bennett four times.

“I’m excited to watch [the tape]. I think that’s the biggest part of it, but I think I left some plays out there for sure across the board from the first quarter to the fourth,” Lance said. “We get the four extra possessions, and we don’t score touchdowns. That’s not a good feeling.”

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Cowboys QB Dak Prescott Says Ankle is ‘Fine’

Prescott missed practice on Friday with an ankle injury and did not suit up for the preseason tilt against the Rams. It’s not unusual for Prescott to sit out a preseason game. He hasn’t thrown a pass in an exhibition contest since 2019.

However, there were still lingering concerns about his ankle, which he cleared up on Sunday. When asked if he was planning to return to action in practice on Tuesday, Prescott responded, “One thousand percent,” per Todd Archer of ESPN.

Prescott is entering a critical contract year. Last season, he topped the NFL in completions (410), completion percentage (69.5%), and touchdown passes (36), amassing 4,516 passing yards.

Prescott and the Cowboys open the regular season on September 8 against the Cleveland Browns.

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