FRISCO, Texas – Dak Prescott has been on both sides of the table when it comes to being a young quarterback, learning from the established veteran.
Eight years ago, Dak was the rookie trying to learn and finally jumped into action right away after an injury to Tony Romo.
While the Cowboys hope that won’t be the case for Trey Lance this year, they definitely want him to play a lot in the preseason.
Cowboys quarterbacks coach Scott Tolzien was asked about how Dak can help Lance this offseason.
“He’s been great. He goes out of his way on a play that he maybe has a long history with, he can teach (Lance) some of the nuances,” Tolzien said. “Beyond that, teaching him the way, things that he’s used in the past, both fundamentally and approach. I’m very lucky that we have a very good quarterback room and the guys help each other and it’s really natural and makes my job easier.
A former NFL quarterback in his own right, Tolzien played five seasons, including three with the Packers under head coach Mike McCarthy (2013-15). During that time, he was in the same room with Aaron Rodgers, so he knows the advantages of being a young quarterback and learning from veterans.
Then again, Lance isn’t exactly a rookie. He is a first-round pick of the 49ers in 2021 and played two years in San Francisco (2-2 as a starter) before being traded to the Cowboys last year at the end of the preseason. So while he spent the entire 2023 season as the third-string quarterback in Dallas behind Prescott and Cooper Rush, Lance was still trying to learn everything as the Cowboys established a new offensive system.
“He was playing catch-up,” Tolzien said of Lance last year. “But it’s good to start with a foundation and learn at that time. It’s no different than jumping into a math class when you move in the middle of the year. It’s good to teach it from the foundation so you can hear the origins of everything.”
Everything Tolzien had heard about Lance was proven to be true when he worked with him last year.
“Obviously, he’s a high draft pick and everyone has praised his work ethic,” he said. “I couldn’t agree more with that. He comes to work with the right mindset and the right attitude. It’s been a real pleasure to work with him.”
Coincidentally, that’s the same word he used to coach Dak, who is coming off a 2023 season in which he finished second in the NFL in MVP voting and led the league in touchdown passes (36) and completions (410). ).
“Every year I’m with him, I’m more impressed with the way he works and the way he leads,” Tolzien said of Dak. “He’s an elite player and I focus on him every day. He makes things work here. He’s definitely a pleasure to work with.”
Dak hasn’t participated in the preseason since 2019, so that’s unlikely to change this year. As for Lance, who is an unrestricted free agent later this year, he is expected to get most, if not all, of the preseason snaps at quarterback this year.
2024-05-17 15:59:11
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