The San Francisco 49ers traded their three first-round picks along with a third-rounder to the Miami Dolphins to step up to the No. 3 spot in the 2021 NFL Draft to enroll the promising star Trey Lance in their roster, albeit the effort didn’t result in a good aftermath for the franchise.
From breaking his finger and spraining his knee in his first season to again breaking his ankle two games into the 2022 season and eventually missing the year, Lance’s tenure in San Francisco wasn’t very notable. The quarterback has already lost the starting position to Brock Purdy, and now, the 49ers have made up their mind to part ways with him ahead of the new season.
Why did the 49ers trade QB Trey Lance? Explained
Lance had been a starter in just 17 games at North Dakota State before San Francisco drafted him with huge expectations, albeit things didn’t go very well, and the 49ers general manager John Lynch didn’t hold anyone responsible for the failure while speaking during the broadcast of the team’s preseason game on Friday night.
On Wednesday, San Francisco announced Sam Darnold would play as the backup of Purdy this season, and the franchise declared to trade Trey to the Dallas Cowboys just a day later, albeit Lynch said the Cowboys would be a great destination for the young star.
“Really hard day, such a wonderful young man. We took a shot and it didn’t work out. We own that. We take accountability for it. But I think, as I think you guys do, his story is still very much unwritten. I’m excited for Trey. Dallas stepped up and really wanted him and they came after him. And I think it’s going to be a great landing spot for him.”
Trade: 49ers are sending their former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance to the Dallas Cowboys for a mid-round, per sources. Lance now gets a fresh start in Dallas. pic.twitter.com/UxKNpljktv
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 25, 2023
ESPN analyst Ryan Clark earlier said San Francisco should be criticized due to their “bad decision” in drafting the 23-year-old star, but the Athletic’s Jim Trotter backed up the signal-caller saying he hasn’t enjoyed enough opportunity to showcase his talent. However, the 49ers GM thinks no one is at fault in this matter.
“I can tell everybody, it wasn’t for lack of effort on Trey’s part or on our part, that it didn’t work. Circumstances took hold and he struggled through injuries and this team’s ready to win. We like our quarterback room. We like Brock Purdy a lot, we like Sam Darnold and we like Brandon Allen. So we wish Trey all the best in Dallas. We’ll always care about that young man and admire his work ethic and the person that he is.”
In his relatively short tenure in San Francisco, he completed 56 of 102 passes for 797 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions along with an 84.5 passer rating while rushing for 235 yards as well as one touchdown on 54 carries.
Cowboys allegedly to pay Trey Lance’s 2023, and 2024 NFL season salaries
The 49ers have already paid Trey‘s $22.2 million signing bonus along with $6.6 million in base salaries and roster bonuses. However, he is owed $940,000 for the remainder of 2023 as well as $5.3 million in 2024, and both of these amounts are reportedly guaranteed by the Cowboys.
Trey Lance still is owed $940,000 for the remainder of 2023 and $5.3 million in 2024, all of which is guaranteed from Dallas. The Cowboys also have the ability to decide on Lance’s fifth-year option for 2025. https://t.co/cemu5vNJCR
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 25, 2023
Dallas also possesses the chance to decide on his fifth-year option for 2025 as a part of the trade and they have time till next May to reach a conclusion regarding it. If the team decides to pick the option, they would have to bear a whopping $30 million cost as it would be fully guaranteed while the 49ers are set to take on $5.5 million in dead money this season and in 2024 due to trading their former first-round pick.
What’s your take on this trade? Do you think that Lance deserved more chances to showcase his caliber? Or do you think that San Francisco made the right decision by trading him to Dallas? Please offer your take in the comments.
