Getty The Bills and Ravens were also interested in trading for Trey Lance.
The Dallas Cowboys landed Trey Lance in a head-turning trade with the San Francisco 49ers, but the deal was not a guarantee as multiple Super Bowl contenders were competing to acquire the quarterback. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that the Bills and Ravens were also in the mix to land Lance, but the Cowboys’ willingness to include a fourth rounder topped the other interested franchises.
“The Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens are two teams that had conversations with San Francisco about a possible trade for Trey Lance,” Russini tweeted on August 26, 2023. “In the NFC, the Detroit Lions also showed interest, per sources.
“Most of the early discussions about a trade involved a 6th rounder that could get to a 5th. In the end, the Dallas Cowboys offered the best deal.”
San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch on Landing a 4th Round Pick: ‘It’s Not What It Looked Like When We First Started’
Cowboys add Trey Lance to their QB room 🙌
49ers general manager John Lynch sounded a bit surprised that the team was able to land a fourth-round pick from the Cowboys for Lance. Lynch admitted that the Niners were not initially “anywhere close” to securing a fourth rounder. In the end, it may have been Dallas bidding against San Francisco’s willingness to trade a former top-three pick quarterback versus another team showing the same aggressiveness.
“It’s [the fourth-round pick] not what it looked like when we first started having [a] conversation, [it] wasn’t anywhere close,” Lynch remarked during an August 26 press conference. “So, it did advance in a hurry today. [I’m] not doing cartwheels over it because my preference would have been that it worked out and it didn’t and there’s circumstances for that and we can explain ’em away, but the reality is the reality.
“He had a couple opportunities. I think injuries played a part. And where we’re at as a team, we felt like this was the best situation for us. Also, the best situation for him.”
Cowboys Rumors: Dallas Had a Second Round Grade on Trey Lance, Says Insider
Dallas was eager to acquire Lance despite not rating Lance nearly as highly as San Francisco heading into the 2021 NFL draft. ESPN’s Todd Archer reported that the Cowboys had a second round grade on Lance after his standout collegiate career at North Dakota State. Lynch noted that Dallas “came up big” in order to land Lance via trade.
“Kyle [Shanahan] and I, when we broke the news to him today, saw him [Lance] light up a little bit, and he loves it here,” Lynch noted. “He was very appreciative of the opportunity. Like typical Trey, he apologized to us, and there was nothing for him to apologize for.
“We’re just happy that he’s got a spot, and the Cowboys came up big, and I think that’s an indication that they’re excited to have him. And we’re excited for Trey’s new opportunity, and we’ll always be big fans.”
It will be interesting to see how the Cowboys handle Cooper Rush’s future with Lance’s deal guaranteed for 2024. For now, Rush is still the favorite to begin the season as Dallas’ QB2.