The time to move quarterback Trey Lance was now for the San Francisco 49ers as they traded him to the Dallas Cowboys over the weekend.
All of this was unfathomable a few seasons ago when the 49ers gave up three first-round picks and an additional third-round pick to take him with the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He was supposed to usher in a new era with Jimmy G on his way out.
He was set to be the team’s starter in 2022, but an early season ankle injury ended his year and Brock Purdy emerged to take the role. With Purdy set to lead the offense and Sam Darnold set to back him up, Lance was on the outside looking in, but he isn’t unhappy that he is gone.
On Tuesday, Lance stated he got a warm welcome from Dak Prescott and “eyes lit up” after being told he was traded to the Cowboys.
“I really tried to not expect anything one way or another, but I can say that when I heard ‘Cowboys,’ I had a big smile on my face,” Lance said. “I was very excited to be here.”
In two seasons with the 49ers, Lance completed 56 of 102 passes for 797 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions.
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“It’s not how I expected it to go. It’s not how I think a lot of people expected it to go,” Lance said. “But I believe that everything happens for a reason. I think I’m here for a reason. Regardless of what it is, just want to try to find a way to help the team.”
After he was informed he had lost the No. 2 quarterback position to Sam Darnold, he was allowed to gather his thoughts and miss practice.
“I’m kind of really trying to move on, but yeah, it definitely took some time,” Lance said. “That conversation obviously wasn’t something I wanted to hear, but that’s the reality of the situation. Nothing but respect and gratitude for everyone there — coaching staff, locker room, athletic training staff, and everyone I spent a ton of time with these last few years. Obviously, it was tough, but for me, it was trying to figure out what was next and what’s going to happen in the future.”
Should things not go well for Dak Prescott this season or next, Lance could very well see himself taking over the QB position.
