49ers trade quarterback Trey Lance to Cowboys for 4th-round pick
San Francisco traded 3 1st-round picks to draft Lance 3rd overall in 2021
The San Francisco 49ers have traded quarterback Trey Lance to the Dallas Cowboys less than three years after trading three first-round picks to draft him.
The Cowboys sent a fourth-round pick to San Francisco for the player drafted third overall in 2021.
"Really hard day," general manager John Lynch said on the team's preseason broadcast on KPIX during Friday night's exhibition finale. "Such a wonderful young man. We took a shot and it didn't work out. We own that. We take accountability for it. I think his story is very much unwritten. I'm excited for Trey. Dallas stepped up and really wanted him and they came after him. I think it will 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. <a href="https://t.co/UxKNpljktv">pic.twitter.com/UxKNpljktv</a>
—@AdamSchefterLance had lost the competition to Sam Darnold to be the backup to Brock Purdy in San Francisco earlier in the week, setting the stage for his departure.
The move is a remarkable backtrack following the hefty investment the Niners made in hopes of Lance becoming a franchise quarterback.
Lance started only 17 games at FCS-level North Dakota State before the Niners drafted him, and he never got much of a chance to gain the experience he needed in the NFL.
He spent his rookie season backing up Jimmy Garoppolo, starting just two games as an injury replacement and being hampered by a finger injury on his throwing hand.
Lance replaced as starter after injury
Lance was handed the starting job last season, but that lasted less than five quarters as he broke his ankle early in Week 2 and was sidelined for the rest of the season.
Purdy, taken with the last draft pick in 2022, came on late in the season and won his first seven starts to take over the starting role headed into this season.
San Francisco signed Darnold in free agency after he flamed out with the Jets and Carolina after also being drafted third overall in 2018 by New York. Darnold ended up doing enough in practices and the first two preseason games to beat out Lance.
Lance has completed 56 of 102 passes in his brief NFL career for 797 yards, five TDs, three interceptions and an 84.5 passer rating. He also has rushed for 235 yards and one TD on 54 carries.
Lance's four starts will be the fewest for any quarterback taken in the top five of the draft in the common draft era for the team he made his debut. Jack Thompson had the previous low after starting five games for Cincinnati after being taken third overall in 1979.
The Cowboys now get a look at Lance, who is owed $940,000 US this year and is guaranteed $5.3 million next season in the final year of his rookie deal.
Cooper Rush has been the backup most of Dak Prescott's career in Dallas, including last season when he went 4-1 filling in after Prescott broke his thumb in the opener.
The trade appears to be the end of the line for Will Grier, who has been the third-stringer the past two seasons without appearing in a game.
