Even though Jalen Hurts is out with a concussion, the shorthanded Dallas Cowboys were touchdown underdogs on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. Sure, the game is at Lincoln Financial Field, but having won four of their last five games there was some hope Dallas could upset their rivals.
Unfortunately, it did not take long for the health and talent discrepancies between the two teams to come into focus.
Andrew Booth has already been victimized by two DeVonta Smith touchdowns. Booth has given Dallas zero chance of keeping this thing competitive, but that shouldn't mask the struggles of Cooper Rush, who has completely fallen apart since the offense's second drive.
Rush has already thrown two interceptions, including on the Cowboys' first possession that was returned for a touchdown. Rush stared down his receiver the entire way. On the second, Rush launched a deep ball to Brandin Cooks in triple coverage.
At this point, Dallas has nothing to lose by playing Trey Lance. So what gives? Former Cowboys scout Bryan Broaddus has a theory and it is positively out of this world.
Cowboys insider has bizarre theory behind Trey Lance's lack of playing time
Think they want to sign him cheap. https://t.co/C9ZkVaAdOE
— BryanBroaddus (@BryanBroaddus) December 29, 2024
Broaddus thinks the Cowboys aren't playing Lance because they want to re-sign him, presumably on the cheapest contract possible. It would be a farfetched theory for most teams, but it aligns perfectly with how the Joneses go about their business.
After all, we're talking about a front office that insists on negotiating through the media - a tactic that is significantly outdated - while entrenched in contract talks with homegrown stars. Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb experienced this over the summer.
READ MORE: Adam Schefter drops Mike McCarthy bombshell right before Cowboys-Eagles
Lance technically can't raise his value if he doesn't see the field. If that is Dallas' line of thinking, it is truly hilarious because Lance's stock is already at rock-bottom. He would already come cheap regardless of how he performed in garbage time of a blowout.
The problem is nobody knows what Lance can be. While he showed some potential in the preseason, his accuracy left a lot to be desired and he threw five interceptions in his final start.
Are the Joneses so cheap that they'll blindly re-sign Lance just to save some dollars on the 2025 salary cap? Considering that Stephen Jones has already set the stage for another penny-pinching offseason, they just might be that frugal.
Broaddus' opinion doesn't mean Dallas intends to re-sign Lance. Having said that, it would sort of explain why the former No. 3 overall pick hasn't sniffed the field even though Rush has been a rollercoaster since filling in for Dak Prescott.
We'll know soon enough.