Cooper Rush adds depth to Giants’ quarterback room

Having a good backup quarterback is always important in the NFL. In a year where COVID-19 will complicate everything, it may be important to have not just one good backup but a stable full of them.

Can Cooper Rush help the Giants build such a stable? Let’s take a closer look.

The basics

Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 225
Age: 26
Position: Quarterback
Experience: 3
Contract: One-year, $1.25 million

How he got here

It should come as no surprise that the Giants claimed Rush after the Dallas Cowboys waived him in early May. Rush played the last three seasons in Dallas for Jason Garrett, now the Giants’ offensive coordinator. That means Rush is familiar with the offense Garrett will run, and Garrett obviously knows Rush’s skill set.

In three seasons with Dallas, Rush only threw three passes, completing one, for 2 yards. He became expendable when the Cowboys signed veteran Andy Dalton to be the primary backup for Dak Prescott.

2020 outlook

Could Rush supplant Colt McCoy as the No. 1 quarterback behind Daniel Jones? Probably not. Could he surpass Alex Tanney as No. 3? That would not be a surprising development.

What would the Giants be getting if Rush has to play? Mark Schofield looked at that earlier this offseason. He concluded:

“Rush is the Giants’ version of [New England’s Brian] Hoyer. A player who knows the system and, if necessary, can step in given limited practice and preseason time and run the offense.

“In the new world, that kind of player might be more valuable than you think.”

Yes, he might.