Acquiring Trey Lance back in 2023 cost the Dallas Cowboys a fourth-round pick in the 2024 Draft and that pick became Malik Mustapha.
In his rookie season, Mustapha started in 12 games and played in 16 overall. He had 77 tackles with two for a loss, an interception, and defended five passes for the 49ers.
In his two seasons in Dallas, Lance never saw the field in 2023 and got a throwaway start at the end of the 2024 season.
It’s a pretty easy call to pick who won that trade, right?
The Cowboys had already decided not to pick up the option on Lance’s fifth year before the season began. He started a preseason game in August along with the season finale against the Commanders.
His preseason start was an unmitigated disaster.
His three regular season appearances prior to his start went for a combined 5-of-7 for 22 yards and an interception.
Against Washington, in a 23-19 loss at home last month, Lance was 20-for-34 for 244 yards. He didn’t throw an interception, but he also failed to throw a touchdown.
He did have six carries for 26 yards in the game to finish with 41 yards on 11 carries.
But at no point in his time in Dallas did he score a touchdown or throw for one.
His lone touchdown drive came late in the final loss and that one was set up by a pass interference call that gave Dallas a first down at the one.
Rico Dowdle wound up scoring a two-yard touchdown on a running play. Every other scoring drive ended with a field goal.
Needless to say, Lance failed to impress.
Roster Review 2025: Trey Lance. This is Part 3 of a series. Click here for a list of all related articles.
Outlook For 2025
It seems more and more likely that Lance was brought in as leverage in contract negotiations with Dak Prescott.
That move backfired badly when Jerry Jones bent the knee and gave Prescott everything the quarterback wanted.
So, it seems Lance was never taken seriously by the coaching staff. Which was unfair to Lance.
He never got a legitimate chance to prove himself in Dallas.
Which would seem to indicate that he’ll likely not be back in Dallas in 2025.
Unless new head coach Brian Schottenheimer sees something in him and wants to keep him around. Lance’s original contract would have paid him $22.4 million this year.
Which is why the Cowboys did not pick it up.
If he’s willing to take a much more team-friendly contract, he might be able to stick around.
That might be his prudent option. Otherwise, he’ll be taking a weak resume with him when he goes looking for a new team.
Long-Term Outlook
For Lance, it is a grim horizon he’s staring out into.
He bombed in San Francisco. He was barely more than a clipboard carrier in Dallas.
His one real game for Dallas wasn’t the worst-ever performance by an NFL quarterback. At the same time, it didn’t make anyone sit up and take notice either.
Frankly, if the Cowboys don’t bring him back, Lance may have played his very last NFL football game.
We’ll have a better idea of what Dallas has in mind by the end of the draft in April.
Like Cooper Rush, Lance will hit the free agent market next month. Like Rush, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of teams lined up to sign either of them.
If the Cowboys land a quarterback in the late rounds and sign a journeyman veteran as insurance for Prescott, both of 2024’s back-up signal callers are likely out at The Star.
Rush might still land on a team’s roster somewhere in the NFL.
But Lance might just be looking at the CFL, or hoping for a Spring Football gig, in 2026.
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