Since NFL free agency began roughly two weeks ago, the Dallas Cowboys have seen several of their now-former players find new homes, a list that includes DeMarcus Lawrence (Seahawks), Chauncey Golston (Giants), Jourdan Lewis (Jaguars), Chuma Edoga (Jaguars), Cooper Rush (Ravens), Rico Dowdle (Panthers), and Brandin Cooks (Saints).
And then there are those who haven’t yet been as fortunate, those being linebacker Eric Kendricks, defensive tackle Linval Joseph, linebacker Nick Vigil, defensive end Carlos Watkins, cornerback Amani Oruwariye, defensive end Carl Lawson, and, of course, quarterback Trey Lance.
Obviously, Lance stands out the most here, what with being the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL draft just four years ago and all.
Taken by the San Francisco 49ers with that third overall pick in 2021, the North Dakota State alum started a pair of games as a rookie but primarily served in a backup role behind Jimmy Garoppolo.
Lance was named the starter over Jimmy G in 2022 but suffered a season-ending ankle injury just two weeks into the campaign. Garoppolo, of course, suffered a season-ending injury of his own a few months later, at which point Brock Purdy took the reins and led San Francisco to the NFC Championship Game.
While fully healed from his injury, Lance began 2023 training camp as the third-stringer behind Purdy and Sam Darnold. And once it became clear that those two would open the regular season on the active roster, Lance was shipped to the Dallas Cowboys, with Jerry Jones infamously sending a fourth-round pick to San Francisco in return.
As the Cowboys’ third-string quarterback behind Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush, Lance failed to take a single regular-season snap in 2023. And even when Dak went down with a season-ending hamstring injury midway through this past year, he only took 20 snaps over the course of three games before finally getting a chance to start in Week 18.
Facing the Commanders in that regular-season finale, the 24-year-old took a career-high 78 snaps, completing 20 of 34 passes for 244 yards with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions in a 23-19 loss.
The question now becomes whether those 78 snaps are the last Lance ever takes in the NFL.
Sports Illustrated 49ers writer thinks Trey Lance should perhaps sign with the CFL
In a recent piece for our pals at Sports Illustrated, longtime 49ers reporter Grant Cohn went through Trey Lance’s options as he continues to wait for the phone to ring.
But as Cohn references, that phone may never ring, as the two-time FCS national champion is one of several backup QBs still looking for work, a list that includes Joe Flacco, Carson Wentz, Drew Lock, C.J. Beathard, Case Keenum, and Easton Stick, all of whom have much more experience.
Cohn even wonders if a team would be willing to bring him on in a QB2 role. And he makes an excellent point in saying that franchises still looking for third-stringers may “prefer to simply draft someone younger and faster who hasn’t broken their ankle.”
So, where would that leave Lance?
One option Cohn gave was for him to “quit and live comfortably for the rest of his life,” noting how he’s made more than $34 million in his four NFL seasons. Such is the luxury of being a high draft pick.
Naturally, Lance never playing organized football again is the worst-case scenario for the youngster.
Cohn also offered up a far more intriguing option, opining that perhaps he could take his talents to the CFL, just as former 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia did after going undrafted out of San Jose State in 1994.
Garcia actually spent several seasons north of the border, playing with the Calgary Stampeders from 1994 to 1998, earning four West Division All-Star nods and helping the team to a Grey Cup victory in his final season, earning game MVP honors.
He then signed with San Francisco in 1999 and went on to make three Pro Bowl appearances (2000, 2001, 2002) in five seasons with the team, earning a fourth nod in 2007 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
As mentioned, Lance is still just 24 years old, and a move to Canada would undoubtedly get him more snaps than he’s going to get in the NFL right now.
