After two years, the San Francisco 49ers decided that it was in their best interest to move on from quarterback Trey Lance. Despite giving up tremendous draft capital to the Miami Dolphins to move up to the No. 3 spot to take him, Lance watched as 2022 "Mr. Irrelevant" Brock Purdy overtook him as the starting quarterback. With the team reopening trade talks, Lance found a new home in the Dallas Cowboys.
The news shocked many in the NFL, mostly because the team has a starting quarterback in Dak Prescott. With that, questions were being asked about Prescott's status with the team and if Lance was brought in to be his successor.
On Tuesday, Lance made his first official appearance as a member of the Cowboys. Lance told reporters he had a "big smile on [his] face" when he received the call that he would be heading to Dallas. Lance also revealed that Prescott welcomed him "with open arms" following the trade and that he looks forward to working alongside and learning from him.
Trey Lance make first comments after trade to Cowboys
"It meant a lot to me. This business is crazy but, for me, I'm not looking forward — at all," said Lance, h/t the Cowboys' official website. "'m just trying to take it one day at a time. This guy has played at a very high level for a long time so, obviously, just tons of respect for him, as I think he deserves and gets from across the league.
"I'm just trying to learn everything I possibly can from him."
The trade took a lot of people by surprise. Owner Jerry Jones made some eye-opening comments, saying that he didn't consult with either Prescott or head coach Mike McCarthy before sending a 2024 fourth-round pick to the 49ers for Lance. However, McCarthy said, via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, he did evaluate Lance before the trade was made but wasn't involved in the business side of the deal.
The Cowboys will have an important decision to make regarding Prescott. He is under contract for one more season, and he carries a hefty $59.45 million cap hit for next season. So, the team will have to either sign him to a contract extension or find a way to move on if they feel that is the best course of action. Of course, how the 2023 season goes for Dallas will play a huge role in that.
With Lance being essentially demoted to QB3 behind Purdy and fellow former No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold, the 49ers looked to find him a new team via trade. The Cowboys were interested, and as of now, Lance will be behind Prescott and Cooper Rush on the depth chart. Based on his first comments, Lance is looking forward to this new opportunity with the Cowboys.