Done deal :new York Jets signed a talented player from Dallas cowboys over $21,958,535m, as 4years contract..
Unofficial results are in: Dallas Cowboys’ trade for Trey Lance is a far-reaching disaster
Along with Joey Galloway and Roy Williams, Trey Lance is now in the chat room of all-time horrible acquisitions made by Dallas Cowboys owner/GM/president Jerry Jones. The day before the San Francisco 49ers celebrated the one-year anniversary of unloading their former first round pick to the Cowboys for a fourth round draft selection, Lance played the entire way on Saturday afternoon in a half-priced football game against the L.A. Chargers.
(If you must know, the Chargers won, 26-19.) When a quarterback plays the entire preseason game, and the last one, it’s not a great sign. The Cowboys had to do this to Lance because it may be his last chance to play for the team. Of the countless moves Jerry has made since he bought the Cowboys in Feb. of 1989, dealing for Lance keeps moving up the list of memorable JJ goal line fumbles. This one could be the worst; at least Galloway and Williams actually played in regular-season games for the team.
This deal continues to show all of the makings of a move where Jerry overpaid to add a player whose Cowboys’ career will consist of preseason plays, and regular-season checks cashed. Good for Trey. Horrible for the Cowboys offense.
The way this relationship is evolving, the Cowboys will have paid Lance $6.24 million to stand on the sidelines, watch some tape, lift weights, stay in shape, sit in team meetings, and play some preseason games.
To review this trade, one year ago the 49ers found a sucker in the Cowboys, who shipped a 2024 fourth round selection to San Francisco for the former third overall pick. The coaches like Lance, because he’s a likable guy, and … he did 0 for the team last season. Jerry said Saturday he has no regrets about the deal. Typically he needs about four to five years to admit to goofs. The plan was always to see what Lance could do in the offseason, and specifically in this 2024 preseason. The Cowboys can say Lance is an NFL-caliber athlete, and every so often he shows the ability to make NFL-caliber quarterback throws.
He showed that against the Chargers; on the first drive he squeezed in a nice throw along the sidelines between two defenders. Late in the first half, he lofted a scoring pass with touch to receiver Ryan Flournoy. Then there were an assortment of other plays, most notably an interception in the end zone in the third quarter, and another interception in the fourth quarter that was a pick-six, that suggested the only reason Lance is here is because he’s the third pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. “My confidence isn’t going anywhere; this sucks. It’s not going to be one I’m going to forget about any time soon, but it’s part of it,” Lance said after the loss. “I feel good. I did a lot of good things out there today.”
He was sacked three times by the Chargers, and threw five picks. He finished a pedestrian 33 of 49 for 333 yards. In three preseason games, Lance completed 73 of 113 passes for 672 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions, all proving that Cooper Rush’s role as Dak’s backup is the most secure job in the NFL. “I saw good, and I saw some things you’d like to have back,” Jerry said after the game. “I hated those five interceptions. I couldn’t have asked for more reps in better situations to watch him play. He needed that. Certainly plan on him being on our roster, for sure.” Jerry has said he’s “All In” for 2024 but keeping Lance is not an “All In” move.
The Cowboys offense does not need Lance as much as they need his roster spot. The Cowboys will be one of few teams that will carry three QBs on its active roster. They are doing this because the boss said so. There is no way Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy thinks having Lance, who is essentially on the final year of his rookie contract, is in the best interests of his offense this season. The best interest of his offense was to use the draft pick that went to San Francisco to acquire Lance on a running back here in 2024.
The 49ers used that acquired pick on Wake Forest safety Malik Mustapha. The next pick was Oregon running back Bucky Irving, by Tampa Bay. Irving may turn out to be a bum, but the Cowboys running back room isn’t exactly flush with first ballot Hall of Famers.
Ignoring the running back position in the draft will have an impact this season. Signing, and keeping Ezekiel Elliott, is the rare bad idea that’s worse than it sounds. This running back room is so thin, and bereft of players who scare you, the Cowboys should flip over every body that hits the waiver wire, or possibly make a trade, when teams slash this week. Keep an eye on the L.A. Rams and Miami Dolphins, both of which are deep at running back. The Cowboys weren’t afraid to make a few moves to address their defensive line, and they should feel the same way about their running back slot.
The Cowboys offense, at best, has one player that scares NFL defenses; he’s currently in a contract holdout, which will likely end this week. Their “scariest” weapon behind receiver CeeDee Lamb is tight end Jake Ferguson. A running back isn’t on the list. Even in our devalued running back world, you need one who can do something. Instead, the Cowboys have an expensive third-string quarterback because the owner, who loves money more than air, thought he got a deal. In limited time, Lance showed a few things here in preseason, but his work here is done. He will ride the bench in 2024, behind Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush. “It’s the life of a backup quarterback in the NFL. It’s the life I’ve lived,” Lance said. “Try to soak up as much as I possibly can.” Come this time next year, Lance will be on another team, while the Cowboys will look back at a trade that will go down as one of Jerry’s worst.
