With Dak Prescott on the books for the foreseeable future, the top of the Cowboys’ quarterback depth chart is set. Dallas may well have a new backup in place for 2025, though. 
[RELATED: Cowboys Open Contract Talks With Osa Odighizuwa]
Trey Lance is a pending free agent with his rookie contract set to expire. The former No. 3 pick’s brief time with the 49ers ended via trade in 2023, with the Cowboys acquiring him for a fourth-round selection. Lance did not not see any playing time during his first Dallas campaign, though, and this past season he made only one start despite Dak Prescott‘s missed time.
“We took a shot a Trey and wanted to do that,” COO Stephen Jones said on Monday (via David Moore of the Dallas Morning News). “We think the world of Trey. But us having Dak signed up for the long-term, I think he’s probably going to be looking for something different.”
Indeed, it would come as no surprise if Lance were to head elsewhere on the open market. The 24-year-old is unlikely to draw much in the way of free agent interest having only made 12 regular season appearances and five starts to date, but a team could allow him the opportunity to compete for a backup gig in the summer. The QB2 role has belonged to Cooper Rush for much of his Cowboys tenure, but he too is set to see his contract expire in March.
Jones spoke positively about Rush, 31, when asked about his situation. The former UDFA has made 13 starts across the 2022 and ’24 campaigns when Prescott has been sidelined through injury. Rush’s last contract (two years, $5MM) was the most lucrative one of his career, but Jones noted he could receive a raise by means of a free agent departure. Especially if that takes place, the Cowboys can be expected to draft Prescott’s next backup (something Moore notes new head coach Brian Schottenheimer and quarterbacks coach Steve Shimko support).
“You know, I think one of our goals is to get a young quarterback in the draft,” Jones said. “I don’t know where that’s going to be. It seems like all the quarterbacks, even guys we have in the fourth round, go in the first. They always go so much higher than what you think.”
The Cowboys are currently projected to have 10 picks in April’s draft, including four in a stretch from Nos. 150-174. That range could give the team the opportunity to add an inexpensive backup while Dallas manages the cap implications of Prescott’s historic 2024 extension.
Jerry is such a jerk that he started Trey in the last game so he wouldn’t have to pay his 2nd string around $500k QB bonus for starts last year. Look it up.
Sounds like a good business decision to me.
Taking notes from non other than Bob Nutting himself. At least the Cowboys actually spend money, even if foolishly
The NFL ain’t baseball.
The backup that kept them afloat on multiple occasions across multiple seasons. That’s a cheap move
I can see them taking a developmental QB like Ewers who Im sure they saw plenty of in their home state
Possibly spend a 3rd rounder on Ewers or a 4th/5th on Kyle McCord
Honestly, Cowboys should trade back from 12 and get as many draft picks as they can to supplement the roster.
They can always target someone like RB Hampton UNC in the 2nd or Henderson OSU, JudkinsOSU, Skattebo ASU, Smith SMU in the 3rd instead of Jeanty
I would not be surprised to see the Giants grab McCord first. They love Syracuse QBs (Ryan Nassib, Tommy Devito, Eric Dungey).
Jeanty has cowboys written all over him. Lol. Maybe titans. He’ll go fast. Possibly trade up.
Sure but when you look at the Bucs who can find guys like White and Irving in the 3rd round why invest a first round pick in Jeanty?
I’d get it if you’re drafting end of the first round and want a guaranteed 5 years before paying a RB but 12th overall?
Nah Dallas could trade back and acquire a decent amount of draft capital. Like say the Bills trade up using their 1st and one of their 2nds to grab someone like Will Johnson at cb and Dallas can grab someone like Donovan Jackson to replace Martin and use their 2nds to add WR and RB to the offense.
Every year 50% or more of teams that draft. Waste their pick every year. It’s finding that formula to get the guy they thought they were getting. Jeanty seems to have that career presence to him. First year RB success is easy. The second year harder. That third year is like a memory.
biggest bust ever
Never heard of Jamarcus Russell?
It screams “I just started watching football 4 years ago.”
Can’t forget Ryan Leaf!
At least the Raiders didn’t trade any picks to take Jamarcus Russell. On the downside though, they could have taken Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Patrick Willis, Darrelle Revis, or Adrian Peterson instead.
Trey Lance was never an NFL Quarterback but it really doesn’t matter…as long as they are stuck with Dak Prescott they aren’t going to win anything anyway.
Is Lance that bad? He was penciled in as the starter for Shanahan in SF. Never played in DAL. If Justin Fields can play for years and show he isn’t an NFL starter, why not Lance?
Lance and Fields have way more upside than tons of other QBs. Cooper Rush being one of them. Really comes down to the system. Both QBs could probably thrive under a good offensive game-planner like Reid or John Harbaugh. We’ll never know, and that isn’t entirely either player’s fault.
*this is what they SHOULD do. I’m well aware Jerry would never participate in anything that cogent. Cowboys will stay mediocre to bad, Jerry will stay rich, fans will stay frustrated.
Is Lance that bad? Yes. He’s clearly not better than Cooper Rush. That’s pretty bad.
He ought to go play in the XFL or UFL, whatever they call it now. Get some reps, get some plays on tape running an offense.
Remember when cowboys fans said Cooper Rush was the future 2years ago. lol
Honestly, Cowboys fans can say some ridiculous things, but I don’t think anyone was saying that.
Yeah… I don’t think I heard ANY Cowboys fan say that…
“Remember when cowboys fans said Cooper Rush was the future 2 years ago.”
Cue the Jonathan Frakes Beyond Belief meme: It’s a hoax. It never happened.
Honestly qb3 here on a 1 million competition with Jaxson dart (in 3rd)and a veteran is not a bad combo. Eventually this guy will mature. If he doesn’t hurry. It will be at the car dealership rather than the nfl. lol. He could be salvaged if he didn’t come into the league thing he was Chris brown and Tony Montana
Someone will take up Trey I think. Could sit behind Stroud in Houston and get good GOOD coaching there. I could also see him learning with the Dolphins or the Ravens
He could also land back in his home State of Minnesota to replace Darnold and compete to be McCarthy’s backup next season.
How about Trey Lance to the Browns? Move on from Dumbshawn and give Lance a shot. San Francisco must have seen something in him to trade up to pick him.
And yet they realized they were wrong on whatever it was they thought they saw and moved on from that monumental bust. Those 3 first rounders could’ve gone a long way to get Purdy some weapons in SF.
Some QB’s thrive in certain systems, see Sam Darnold and/or Geno Smith (both considered busts).In a different system with a new coach Lance may thrive. The 49’ers saw a chance to upgrade and took it rather than keep running a QB out there who was an obvious mismatch for their system just because he was a first round pick.(See Anthony Richardson). Trey Lance may be a bust, or he may have been waiting and watching Dak operate and go to another team and ball out. It isn’t going to cost the Browns much to find out.
You don’t waste 3 first rounds picks to grab a guy to be your franchise QB and then have to sit out and watch and learn. They failed miserably in grabbing him that high but eventually came to the understanding he’d never be a QB1 starter in the league regardless of system.
You forgot to add,”In my opinion”, to the front of those statements. I might add that they also missed on Brock Purdy, picking him last in the last round. In other words it’s all a crap shoot. They did acknowledge their misstep and trade him to Dallas. He may have matured, and listened to people trying teach him, and we never knew because Dallas didn’t let him play enough to find out. Can’t hurt to give him a second chance.
Drew lock gets a second chance. This guy might. Lol
Is there another Sonny Gibbs playing QB in the state of Texas that the Cowboys can draft? 🙂