Getty Images
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Cooper Rush will start against the Cowboys on Saturday.
The Dallas Cowboys will see a familiar face Saturday when they take on the Baltimore Ravens: quarterback Cooper Rush.
Rush spent seven seasons in Dallas as a backup, stepping in when needed for Dak Prescott. He went 9-5 as a starter, throwing for 3,463 yards, 20 touchdowns, and completing 60.7% of his passes across 14 starts.
Rush is set to start against his former team in the preseason matchup and reflected this week on his decision to join Baltimore in free agency.
“Baltimore came out of nowhere early on in that week,” Rush said. “[I was] like, ‘Oh man, that’s a good place to be.’ … [Baltimore was] just a chance to go on a really good team that if you’ve got to go in [the game], you can go do it and win games, important games [for] a team that’s in it and a team that’s got tons of weapons at every position. All [of] those [reasons] go into it.
“It’ll be different over on that sideline. It’ll be something new, but looking forward to it. See a lot of close relationships over the years there, get to catch up with some guys. It’ll be cool.”
Cooper Rush Says No Hard Feelings With Cowboys
Rush also spoke about a situation late last season with the Cowboys. With Prescott injured, he stood one start shy of triggering a $250,000 playing time incentive. Instead, Dallas turned to Trey Lance in the regular-season finale, leaving Rush ineligible for the bonus. Still, he said there are no hard feelings.
“It”s business,” Rush said. “Maybe if I played better, [I’d] go out there. I don’t know, but no, you don’t really think about that stuff. I had a great time there. Like I said, [I was] really close with a lot of people in the organization, so it’ll be cool.”
Rush will serve as the primary backup in Baltimore but is aiming to bounce back from a brief but shaky preseason debut. He completed just 2-of-4 passes for 16 yards and an interception. Facing his former team won’t be a source of motivation.
“I’ve been really trying to show my current team I’m doing well,” Rush said. “Things like that are the main focus. I’m getting ready to play. Those games do matter. Those preseason games do help guys in my position. Those reps do count. You learn from them, so when you have to go out there in the real thing, it works.”
Joe Milton to Start for Cowboys Against Ravens
For the Cowboys, Joe Milton will draw the start. He’s competing with Will Grier to be the primary backup to Prescott.
Milton has received the majority of reps but he’s not locked into the backup role. The Cowboys want to get a good look at the former sixth-round pick, per head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
“I think our plan all along has been that we need to find out about Joe Milton,” Schottenheimer said. “We’re going to let these guys all compete, and it’s not a negative against Will Grier that he’s not getting the reps. I’ve been around Will Grier for a couple years now. We know who Will Grier is. We are not surprised when he goes in and does that. It’s figuring out more of Joe Milton, it’s the unknown more than the competition.”
The rocket-armed Milton started the Cowboys’ first preseason game, passing for 143 yards with a touchdown and interception. The performance drew mixed reviews but Schottenheimer is not worried.
“Under no circumstance am I panicked or worried about Joe Milton,” Schottenheimer said. “Joe Milton played really well in the second half, he did some really good things. He calmed down, he figured it out.”
The Cowboys traded for Milton this offseason. The move involved the New England Patriots sending Milton and a 7th-round pick to the Cowboys for a 5th-round pick.
J.R. DeGroote JR DeGroote is a staff writer for Heavy.com, where he has covered the NFL, NBA, and trending sports stories since 2019. His work focuses on some of the most passionate fanbases in sports, including reporting on the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers. More about J.R. DeGroote
