After going 4-1 in five starts while Dak Prescott was injured last season, Cooper Rush is returning to the Dallas Cowboys as their backup quarterback in 2023.
Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Rush has agreed to a two-year deal worth a maximum of $6 million with his first year and signing bonus being fully guaranteed.
Rush has done a great job of carving out a role in the NFL after going undrafted in 2017. He was a four-year starter at Central Michigan from 2012 to '16.
The Cowboys signed Rush as an undrafted free agent and he was going to compete for the third-string quarterback position. The Michigan native made the roster after a strong preseason performance.
After Kellen Moore was released during 2017 and re-signed to the practice squad, Rush became the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart. His first appearance came in a Week 7 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Rush appeared in a total of five games over his first three seasons, all of them in mop-up duty at the end of blowout wins or losses.
The New York Giants claimed Rush off waivers in May 2020. He spent three weeks on their practice squad before being released early in the season.
After Prescott suffered a compound fracture and dislocated ankle against the Giants in Week 5 of the 2020 season, Rush rejoined the team when he was signed to the practice squad.
When a calf injury kept Prescott out of a game midway through the 2021 season. Rush made his first career start in Week 8 against the Minnesota Vikings. He finished 24-of-40 with 325 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a 20-16 victory.
Prescott fractured his thumb in the Cowboys' Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season. Rush did a good job of keeping the offense going, as he won four consecutive starts before a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 16.
Rush finished the 2022 campaign with 1,051 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions in nine games. His familiarity with head coach Mike McCarthy's offense should give the Cowboys confidence he can play well if Prescott has to miss time.
