The Dallas Cowboys dropped their final game of the 2024 preseason 26-19 against the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday night. While, in the end, preseason games do not mean much, the talk of the game before, during, and after was Dallas’ decision to allow former third-overall pick Trey Lance play the entire game.
There was no doubt that Lance is a physically gifted quarterback, and able to extend plays with his mobility. This was evident in his 11 carries for 90 yards and rushing touchdown. However, many decisions he made as a passer were questionable.
Lance ended the night 33/49 for 323 passing yards, one touchdown, and five interceptions.
Afterwards, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and head coach Mike McCarthy revealed their thoughts on his performance and place on the team.
Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Does Not Regret Trading for Trey Lance
Aug 24, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Trey Lance (19) runs for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers in the third quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Last week, Jones caused a bit of a stir by guaranteeing Lance a spot on the Cowboys’ 53-man roster. In truth, this should not have been too big of a surprised as Dallas kept him on their roster last year as well. As many may recall, Lance was originally traded by the San Francisco 49ers to the Cowboys for a fourth-round pick last offseason.
After Lance’s five-interception performance on Saturday night, Jones was asked if he regretted giving up a fourth-round pick for him. He replied, in typical Jones fashion, “For a 4th-round pick? Are you kidding me? Although we did get Dak with our second 4th-round pick (in 2016). But we’ve had some that didn’t play in the 4th round, too.”
Dak Prescott was the 135th overall pick in 2016.
There is still speculation that Dallas could trade Lance before Week One of the regular season. While Prescott is not under contract beyond 2024, it is clear that the Cowboys want him to continue on as their franchise quarterback.
Perhaps a different team looking for a quality backup will make an offer in the coming days, a scenario on Cowboys insider thinks is a real possibility.
Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Mike McCarthy Thinks Trey Lance Has a Bright Future in the NFL
Aug 24, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Trey Lance (19) looks to pass in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Obviously, the main focus of the game afterwards was Lance’s five interceptions. However, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy also thought that there were plenty of positives to take away as well.
That being said, his comments may indicate that Lance’s long-term future is not in Dallas. He said, “He continually gets better every time you give him a chance. I think that says a lot about him. He’s just a young guy that needs to play. I think he’ll play in this league for a long time.”
While highly complementary of Lance, it is clear that McCarthy believes the only way the young quarterback will improve is if he plays more, and he won’t be able to do that in Dallas.
“He’s just a young guy that needs to play,” is evidence of this.
It will not be surprising if Lance gets traded this season. If not, he almost surely will leave as a free agent when it is over.
