The Dallas Cowboys gave quarterback Trey Lance the entire game in their final preseason outing against the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday, hoping he could prove himself as a potential starter should Dak Prescott depart next season.
However, his performance may have just given the current starter even more leverage. Lance, a former third overall draft pick, joined the Cowboys last season amid high expectations from fans eager to see what the promising talent could deliver.
However, the issues that led the San Francisco 49ers to part ways with him were glaringly evident in the game – with Lance throwing a staggering five interceptions. Each of the five intercepted passes was the result of poor decision-making by the quarterback, who held onto the ball for too long and abandoned clean pockets while displaying erratic accuracy.
Despite this, the quarterback did show flashes of brilliance that frustrated Cowboys fans – including throwing for 323 yards and rushing for 90 yards while scoring two touchdowns. However, his turnovers and poor decisions are likely to relegate him to being Dallas’ third-choice quarterback behind Prescott and Rush.
It also demonstrates that he is still not ready to play – despite being in his fourth year in the NFL – leading many to question if he will ever fulfil his potential. Lance could have been a potential option for Dallas in 2025, had he managed to reduce his turnovers and puzzling decisions.
This comes as Prescott is set to become a free agent after failing to agree on an extension. Prescott wants a salary higher than what Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts have received over the past year – possibly as much as $60 million per season.
Dallas, while not wanting to lose their starting quarterback, also needs to allocate salary cap space to pay superstars CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons – both eligible for extensions after three years on their rookie contracts.
Lance was the only other long-term option for the team at quarterback if they couldn’t agree terms with Prescott on an extension – and now risk letting him leave without any draft compensation as his deal officially ends after this season.
Dallas fans will be hoping that Prescott signs before the season opener, as players usually stop all communications about an extension once the year has started. Shedeur Sanders, son of former Cowboys superstar Deion Sanders, who is set to enter the NFL Draft in 2025, has been identified as a potential successor.
