The San Francisco 49ers trade that many have been waiting for is finally here. The 49ers are trading quarterback Trey Lance to the Dallas Cowboys. The news broke Friday evening, just hours before the team’s final preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Here is all that there is to know regarding the 49ers trade.
49ers Trade Details
Adam Schefter broke the news on August 25th on X. The Cowboys are landing Lance, while the 49ers are gaining a fourth-round pick. Lance has spent two seasons in the league so far. He is still owed $940,000 in 2023 and $5.3 million in 2024, according to Schefter. As a first-round pick, the Cowboys will have the option to pick up his fifth-year option.
A fourth-round pick is pretty fair for a player who has only started in four games in two years. Lance has room to grow, just not in San Francisco. The 49ers traded three first-round to the Miami Dolphins in order to draft Lance in the 2021 NFL draft. Now, they get a fourth-rounder out of him.
Former 49ers Trey Lance (5) – Stan Szeto/USA TODAY Sports
Implications for the 49ers
The news comes just two days after quarterback Sam Darnold was named the backup quarterback behind Brock Purdy. While when it comes to cap space, it does not make the biggest difference this season, but it does save the 49ers money next season. While San Francisco has other members to pay, this does clear up some room to help extend Nick Bosa, who is still on a holdout.
This 49ers trade now puts a ton of pressure on Purdy. The young quarterback went undefeated in his five regular-season starts and did win two playoff games with San Francisco. That does not take away the pressure that is being put on him. This team is hunting for a Super Bowl right now. They do not have many years left with the current roster. Purdy needs to step up right away and prove to everyone that he truly is the guy. While he had a great 2022 season, coming back from a UCL injury will not be easy. He is fully cleared; it is just time to see how far he can bring the team.
Former 49ers QB Trey Lance (5) – Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports
Lance’s Future in Dallas
Now the question is also, how well does this 49ers trade work for Lance? He still will not go into week one as a starter. Dak Prescott is still with the Cowboys. Something to think about is Prescott’s history of injuries. Now, if he goes down, Lance can potentially be the backup that takes over. While there is so much unknown about the Cowboys’ offense this season, Lance may do better developing there with Prescott than as the third quarterback in San Francisco.
The Cowboys can also think about if they want Lance to be their future. Prescott will be a free agent soon. If he gets injured again, there is a chance that Dallas will move on. Of course, then it would be taking a gamble on if Lance could become a starting quarterback in the league. There are many people who believe Lance has a high ceiling, he just needs to develop. Although San Francisco bet on him, it just was not the place that would happen. Step one will be to see if Lance does get playtime in Dallas.
Lance is only 23 years old. There are going to be rookies this season that are still younger than him. The 49ers trade was bound to happen once Darnold was named the backup quarterback. The trade to the Cowboys may have been a tad surprising, but it could work out for both teams and, of course, Lance.
