A new QB for Cowboys’ future? Dallas acquires Trey Lance from 49ers for 4th-round pick

Sources confirmed the Dallas Cowboys have acquired quarterback Trey Lance, a 2021 first-round pick, in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers for a fourth-round 2024 draft pick.

The team now has a new developmental third quarterback in 2023 behind Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush and possibly a new quarterback of the future.

A lot has to happen for the latter as Prescott has another year left on his deal and the team has said they want to sign Prescott to a long-term extension to keep him in the fold for the next 10 years. They also need to lower his 2024 cap hit of $59 million in 2024.

But until a new deal is consummated, there will always be a question, especially if Prescott doesn’t fix the interception problems of a year ago and have more success in the playoffs.

Of course, Lance is nowhere close to a replacement for Prescott or Rush at the moment. His acquisition likely means the end of the road for third quarterback Will Grier.

It also allows the Cowboys to kick the tires on a former first-round pick, who was a huge disappointment in San Francisco after the team invested three first-round picks in a trade with the Miami Dolphins to move up from 12th to third overall to acquire Lance in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Lance was supposed to replace Jimmy Garoppolo as the 49ers starter in 2022. But Lance suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2.

Brock Purdy filled in, led the 49ers to the NFC title game and consequently staked the claim as the starter. Lance lost a training camp battle to Sam Darnold for the No. 2 spot, which set the stage for a 49ers trade and a fresh start in Dallas.

Lance played in just eight games and four starts in two seasons with the 49ers. He completed 54.9 percent of his 102 throws with five touchdowns and three interceptions. Lance averaged 7.8 yards per attempt and holds a career QB rating of 84.5.

Lance remains far from a finished product. Not only does he have just four NFL starts but he had just 17 starts in three seasons in college at North Dakota State. But at age 23, he is worth developing.

Ironically, the Cowboys are getting a chance to look at Lance by giving up a fourth-round pick.

Prescott was a fourth-round pick in 2016 and fashioned one of the finest rookie seasons by a quarterback in NFL history, replacing an injured Tony Romo and leading the Cowboys to a 13-3 record while winning NFL Rookie of the Year honors.

The price is a little different as Lance will make $940,000 in 2023 and a guaranteed $5.3 million in 2024, including $1.05 million in base salary and $4.25 million in roster bonus.

Add in the fifth-year option and the Cowboys have control of Lance through 2025.

Still, there is no denying the Lance’s presence adds more pressure on Prescott, who is already the most scrutinized, and one of the most talked about, quarterbacks in the NFL.

If Lance shows some potential and the team doesn’t have playoff success, might the Cowboys consider pushing the reset button the position with a cheaper option?

Prescott signed a four-year, $160 million deal in 2021. Any further deal for Prescott will likely average $50 million or more — a price the Cowboys are more than willing to pay if he can get the Cowboys to the NFC title game and/or the Super Bowl.

Prescott has a career 2-4 record in the postseason, including season-ending losses to the 49ers in the wild-card game and the divisional playoffs in 2021 and 2022.