Trey Lance to start for Cowboys

The Cowboys resisted starting Trey Lance in the two months since Dak Prescott’s season-ending hamstring injury, but the wait will come to an end on Sunday.

Jane Slater of NFL Media reported that Lance will get the start against the Commanders in the season finale and head coach Mike McCarthy confirmed the decision in a pregame radio interview. An earlier report indicated that he would play a significant amount, but did not say whether he or Cooper Rush would start the game.

The start will be Lance’s first since joining the 49ers in a trade ahead of the 2023 season and his first since he was injured in his second game as the 49ers starter in Week Two of the 2022 season. Lance, who the 49ers traded up to take third overall in 2021, started four games for the 49ers and he’s appeared in three games as a reserve this season.

While evaluating Lance ahead of his impending free agency is a reason to make the choice, it may not be the only one. Rush is due a $250,000 incentive bonus if he plays 55 percent of the snaps this season. He would need to play 65 plays on Sunday to make that happen and it’s unlikely he’ll get there with Lance as the starter.