For years, Cooper Rush was seen as one of the more reliable backup quarterbacks in the NFL. When the Dallas Cowboys were without Dak Prescott, they were confident that their second-stringer could keep things competitive.
The Baltimore Ravens thought they struck gold by signing Rush in free agency this offseason. When Lamar Jackson went down with an injury a few weeks ago, John Harbaugh was confident that the backup could do enough to keep the team's season alive.
Instead, he's been one of the worst quarterbacks in football. After three brutal games with the former Cowboy under center, the Ravens have already decided to move on.
Former Cowboys QB Cooper Rush benched by Ravens
Rush is probably wishing he were back in Dallas at the moment. He had a stable spot as Prescott's backup, filling in when needed but never asked to win games on his own. Now, he's one of the main reasons for the collapse of one of the best teams in the NFL.
In three games as the starter, he's thrown four interceptions and zero touchdowns. He looks lost behind Baltimore's offensive line, unable to progress through his reads in this new scheme. When he does make the right decision, he has often been too inaccurate to give his receivers a chance to catch the ball. The Ravens have lost all three games, dropping their record to 1-5 on the season.
Three quarters into Baltimore's loss to the Los Angeles Rams, John Harbaugh had seen enough. He put Rush on the bench, favoring Tyler Huntley for the remainder of the game. Huntley was elevated from the practice squad earlier in the week. While he wasn't able to win the game for the Ravens, he was much more efficient than the former Cowboys QB.
This brutal stretch might be enough to end the quarterback's career. Backups at his position sell themselves on reliability, and he's failed to prove he has that quality over the last few weeks.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys are counting on recently acquired Joe Milton in their backup role. The former New England Patriot had a questionable preseason, but Dallas trusted him enough not to add another player at the position. Prescott has been tremendous this season, so fans will hope that they never have to see anyone else under center. Even if Milton isn't the perfect backup, he's likely better than what the Ravens are currently getting from Rush.