Cowboys Make $22 Million Quarterback Move After Draft

Getty The Cowboys are declining Trey Lance's fifth-year option at $22.4 million.

The Dallas Cowboys are making a $22.5 million move when it relates to quarterback Trey Lance.

As reported by ESPN’s Todd Archer on Wednesday, May 1, the Cowboys are declining Lance’s $22.4 million option for the 2025 season. The move is notable because Dallas has no quarterbacks under contract after this upcoming season, with both Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush due to become free agents.

“Unsurprisingly, the Dallas Cowboys will decline to pick up the fifth-year option on quarterback Trey Lance, a source told ESPN,” writes Archer. “That decision was essentially made in August when the Cowboys acquired Lance from the San Francisco 49ers for a 2024 fourth-round pick. Had the Cowboys picked up the option, it would have cost $22.4 million, been fully guaranteed and been at odds with the club’s stated preference of keeping Dak Prescott after 2024.”

Trey Lance Didn’t Appear in Single Game During 2023 Season

The former No. 3 overall pick was inactive for every game during the 2023 season, technically serving as the No. 3 quarterback behind starter Prescott and primary backup Rush. The trade for Lance was notable because it happened abruptly right before the season started and it created questions on whether or not he would have a chance to replace Prescott and the team’s franchise quarterback.

Earlier in the offseason, team owner Jerry Jones complimented his young quarterback, saying the arrow is pointing up for the 23-year-old.

“The arrow’s really up,” Jones said back in March. “He’s exceeded expectations as a person, as a worker, as a character. He’s got unique skills. He’s very much what we had planned on, hoped. When we gave the pick, we knew we would be paying the bonus right now. That was a part of the same decision. That’s been reinforced by what he’s been with the team and the person he is, potentially the player.”

Why 49ers Traded Trey Lance to Cowboys

Prior to being acquired by the Cowboys, Lance was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2021 NFL draft with the expectation he’d be the team’s franchise quarterback for years to come. In fact, the Niners traded three consecutive first-round picks and a third-round pick with the Miami Dolphins to move up to the No. 3 slot to select Lance.

The trade is now considered one of the worst in NFL history.

However, Lance started just four career games in San Francisco and suffered a season-ending injury two games into the 2022 season — the lone year he was the Niners’ true starter. Brock Purdy’s emergence after leading the Niners to the NFC Championship Game during his rookie season paved the way for San Francisco to move on from Lance, who actually lost the backup job to Sam Darnold during the 2023 preseason.

In eight career appearances and four starts, Lance holds career totals of five passing touchdowns against three interceptions with 797 passing yards and a 84.5 passer rating with a 2-2 record. He also has 235 rushing yards and one touchdown on 4.4 yards per carry.

While the decision to decline Lance’s expensive fifth-year option isn’t surprising due to his status as a backup with the Cowboys, it means Dallas could start from scratch at the quarterback position during the 2025 offseason.