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Almost exactly one year after Trey Lance was traded to the Dallas Cowboys, the 24-year-old quarterback will play his first game with the team on Sunday afternoon against the Los Angeles Rams.
Speaking to reporters ahead of his debut, Lance said he was “excited” to be back on the field.
“I’m approaching this game the same way I approach any other game in my life – college, high school,” he said. “I don’t think I’m going to put too much into it. I’m not going to play any harder than I have in the past, or at least not any harder. Big game for me. Big game for us, so I’m excited to go out there and play well.”
Lance played in the first two preseason games with the San Francisco 49ers last season, including being in the starting lineup for the opening game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
After the 49ers chose Brock Purdy as their starter and Sam Darnold as their second quarterback, Lance was traded to the Cowboys on August 26. The deal took place on the same day as Dallas’ final preseason game, so he was unable to play in that game.
The Cowboys had Lance as their third quarterback for the entire 2023 regular season, behind Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush. He did not play in any games during the season, including the playoff game against the Green Bay Packers.
It’s been rough for Lance since he was selected No. 3 in the 2021 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he appeared in six games and started twice when Jimmy Garoppolo was injured. The North Dakota State graduate threw for 603 yards, ran for 168 yards and scored six touchdowns.
The 49ers gave Lance a starting spot for 2022. He only made 84 appearances in the first two games before breaking his ankle, requiring season-ending surgery.
Since his college days, Lance has thrown a total of 420 passes since 2018. He may never live up to the hype surrounding his draft position, but he has had so little playing time that it is still difficult to definitively assess his potential.
Lance could also try out for other teams this preseason. He is entering the final season of his rookie contract and will be a free agent next offseason.
If Lance plays well for the Cowboys, he could potentially climb up their rankings before the regular season begins. He could also make himself attractive to another team looking to add to their quarterback.
Lance and the Cowboys will play the Rams on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium.
