The Dallas Cowboys will be without star quarterback Dak Prescott after he suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in a loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Cooper Rush took over the starting role and has done an admirable job, going 4-3 and leading the Cowboys to four wins in their last five games.

Unfortunately for the Cowboys, Rush will enter NFL free agency this offseason and could earn another opportunity.

One of these opportunities lies to the north in the NFC.

MORE: Cooper Rush’s career day shows signs of improvement for the Cowboys

Rush has been named as a potential replacement for Sam Darnold with the Minnesota Vikings. Darnold is having a Pro Bowl season but will enter free agency and could land a $100 million contract after putting up career-high numbers.

Darnold is expendable as the Vikings use a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Michigan’s JJ McCarthy.

If Minnesota decides to move forward with McCarthy, Bleacher Report’s scouting department believes Rush could fit the role of backup and mentor perfectly.

The big question facing Minnesota’s front office this offseason is what to do with Sam Darnold, who played well enough to earn a new contract and be a starter in 2025. However, the organization also invested a first-round pick in JJ McCarthy last spring.

If the club lets Darnold go to make room for McCarthy, signing Rush as a replacement in free agency would be a smart move. This means the young quarterback has a good mentor and the 31-year-old has a lot of starting experience that he can bring in if needed.

– Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department

The Cowboys have a lot of important decisions to make in free agency, and Rush is among the most important. Not only will Rush be a free agent, but so will fellow backup quarterback Trey Lance, who hasn’t had a chance to prove himself yet.

If the Cowboys allow the quarterbacks to explore other options, they will desperately need a new backup who can provide depth behind Dak Prescott. So this is a tough decision for the team to weigh.

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