In almost 2 full years evaluating quarterback Trey Lance, the Dallas Cowboys saw so little they only elevated him to No. 2 on the depth chart after starter Dak Prescott suffered a season ending injury in 2024 and Cooper Rush took over as the starter.
That’s likely why the Cowboys weren’t willing to spend the relative pittance to bring Lance back as Prescott’s backup in 2025, instead trading with the New England Patriots for second year quarterback Joe Milton.
Lance, meanwhile, signed a 1-year, $2 million contract to back up Justin Herbert on the Los Angeles Chargers.
What’s next for Lance could be a path to becoming the NFL’s next great quarterback reclamation project following Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield in 2023, current Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024 and now, seemingly, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones in 2025.
Three quarterbacks — all Top 10 draft picks — and all 3 finding stardom with a different team than the one who drafted them. Lance was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski believes Lance could be next up to restart his career as a starter with another team when free agency rolls around in 2026.
“As the backup of the Chargers, Lance has a chance to reset,” Sobleski wrote. “Obviously, he has an opportunity to watch a quarterback of Herbert’s caliber play on a weekly basis, which has been at an MVP level to start the current season. Harbaugh and Greg Roman have even unshackled the offense with Herbert at the helm. Even so, they duo has been successful at multiple levels with different teams to help in Lance’s development and give him a solid foundation whenever his next opportunity to start arises.”
Lance’s Tough Luck Stretch With 49ers
San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan moved mountains to get Lance in 2021 by pulling off what should probably be discussed more often as one of the worst trades in NFL history.
The 49ers sent the Miami Dolphins their 2021, 2022 and 2023 first round picks along with a 2022 third round pick to move up seven spot from No. 10 to No. 3 for Lance and did so despite only 17 starts and just one full season at North Dakota State.
Lance only made 2 starts for the 49ers in 2022 before he fractured his ankle and was replaced by Jimmy Garoppolo … who was eventually injured and replaced by rookie seventh round pick Brock Purdy.
By the time Lance was able to return in 2023, Purdy was the unquestioned starter and current Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback Sam Darnold was the backup.
While Lance was a Top 3 pick, Purdy was the final pick in the 2022 NFL draft — also known as Mr. Irrelevant. In his first full season as the 49ers starter in 2023, he led his team to Super Bowl LVIII before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime.
In a final twist, Purdy started his career on a 4-year, $3.73 million non-fully guaranteed contract just one year after Lance started his carer on a 4-year, $34.1 million fully guaranteed deal.
One month after Lance received his 1-year, $2 million contract from the Chargers in April — $1.5 million in guaranteed money and a $330,000 bonus — the 49ers signed Purdy to a 5-year, $265 million contract extension with $182.55 million in guaranteed money and a $40 million signing bonus.
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