The Dallas Cowboys are heading into the offseason with a totally new look, and new head coach Brian Schottenheimer will likely shake things up a lot before the first snap of the new season.
Going into the 2025-26 season, Dallas has their franchise quarterback in Dak Prescott. Unfortunately, Prescott spent much of the past season out with an injury, but he’s expected to be back and raring to go coming September. However, Prescott’s backup quarterback is in question.
New Dallas Cowboys QB Could Be Familiar With Brian Schottenheimer
In a January 28 feature for CBS Sports, NFL expert and analyst Cody Benjamin suggests a handful of major quarterback trades for the offseason. These moves would be in addition to teams scooping up quarterbacks during the 2025 NFL Draft, and since that class isn’t very strong, it’s not wild to think that a lot of veteran quarterbacks will be in demand during the offseason.
“Several high-profile starters are on track to become free agents in March, and a number of others could also be available via trade,” Benjamin states in the feature, adding that his feature puts 17 quarterbacks with new teams.
As for the Cowboys, Benjamin sends C.J. Beathard of the Jacksonville Jags to the Cowboys.
“Mac Jones is better positioned to stick with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a backup for Trevor Lawrence,” he stated. “Which means Beathard could reunite with Brian Schottenheimer as Dak Prescott’s new No. 2.”
Schottenheimer coached Beathard in 2021 when he was the Jaguars’ passing game coordinator, and he also became their interim offensive coordinator. While Beathard didn’t have much playing time, Schottenheimer was hands-on with the Jaguars’ quarterbacks during that 2021 season, so he’s familiar with Beathard.
“Beathard has been a consistent and reliable backup behind Lawrence,” NFL writer and expert John Shipley of Sports Illustrated notes in a February 1 feature. “His groin injury in camp settled a competition between him and Mac Jones for the backup job, but Beathard then re-joined the team after Lawrence sustained a shoulder injury in Week 9 and served as backup quarterback to Jones during the final third of the season.”
Shipley adds that it’s totally foreseeable that Jacksonville could want to part with their backup quarterbacks, because the only known is that Lawrence is their main guy.
“With both Mac Jones and C.J. Beathard set to become free agents in March, the Jaguars are likely entering the offseason with an open mind,” he stated.
Cooper Rush May Be a Fit With the Saints
There’s more quarterback talk amid the Cowboys, too. In this CBS Sports piece, Benjamin also favors Dallas backup quarterback Cooper Rush heading to the New Orleans Saints. Rush saw a lot of playing time last season, due to Prescott’s injury.
“New Orleans’ head coaching search has revolved heavily around Dallas Cowboys connections (see: Kellen Moore, Mike McCarthy),” he notes “Dak Prescott’s backup could pair with a potential rookie in the Big Easy.”
Koby Skillern of Sports Illustrated agrees that Rush could go this season.
“Cooper Rush, an undrafted free agent, has proven himself as a reliable backup with a 9-5 record as a starter for the Cowboys,” Skillern noted in a January 16 feature. “Meanwhile, Trey Lance, the former number-three overall pick, has started just one game for Dallas, which ended in a loss, leaving him with a 5-7 overall record.”
