As soon as Trey Lance’s draft was declared, it was the San Francisco 49ers who tumbled over to snag him paying a hefty price. Yet, the San Francisco-based team seemingly allowed the quarterback’s tenure to end before it had really begun.
After passing the full off-season in finding answers to their backup solutions between Lance and Sam Darnold, suddenly the team traded their once-vaunted quarterback prospect to the Dallas Cowboys. His short tenure failed to bag many accolades, though, his trade placed him in the history of the NFL.
49ers’ gamble on Trey Lance ends as he joins Cowboys in trade
Treys’ clock with the Niners stopped following an infamous two-year run after they kept a tight eye on him and Darnold during training camp and preseason games. The San Francisco club provided both players with one-on-one opportunities, allowing them to run for at least a portion of their preseason game.
Being able to satisfy the team management with his performance, Sam ended up snatching the starter job from Trey Lance. This allowed his former mate to play this season for the Cowboys as the team acquired him in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick.
However, losing the job in San Fransisco gave the 23-year-old the chance to start a fresh journey in Dallas under the wings of head coach Mike McCarthy and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
After continuously facing setbacks in San Fransisco, he was unable to land the role of Brock Purdy’s backup. Alongside dependable backup Cooper Rush and starting Dak Prescott, the signal-caller is now qualified to serve as the Cowboys’ third-string quarterback.
Trey Lance echoes Art Schlichter’s short stint with the drafting team
The 49ers surprised the football world a month prior to the 2021 NFL Draft by swapping the 12th overall pick to the third spot in order to go with the North Dakota State University prospect Lance. However, the promising young star struggled with them because of his injury-prone condition.
He made the record for the fewest games played by a top-five pick for their debut team since at least 1967 with his eight appearances in just two NFL seasons, including four starts.
Trey Lance played a total of 8 games with the 49ers.
That is the fewest games played by a top 5 pick with the team he debuted with since the start of the common draft era in 1967.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) August 25, 2023
With the record, the quarterback overtook Art Schlichter, who was selected by the Indianapolis Colts fourth overall in 1982 but played in just 13 games for the team.
However, Lance’s time with the 49ers is now formally over. Many NFL observers concurred that the Cowboys would have to pay an excessive cost for the deal, much like the 49ers did for the franchise player.
Do you think the Lance trade was a wise decision on the Cowboys’ part? Tell us in the comments!
