Dallas Cowboys Trey Lance Chance? Should QB Take Dak Prescott Snaps?

Longtime Dallas Cowboys columnist Mickey Spagnola argues that it may be now or never for high-profile reserve Trey Lance to get a chance under center.

Longtime Dallas Cowboys columnist Mickey Spagnola is begging the 'Boys to give Trey Lance a chance.

A spring of supposed quarterback controversy has mostly forgotten Lance, who remains buried on the Dallas depth chart with Dak Prescott's future in flux and Cooper Rush standing as one of the NFL's more reliable backups. In his latest post on the team's official site, Spagnola cautioned the Cowboys about the potential powder keg the Lance situation could become, especially if they don't get him any snaps with the premier units in practice.

"It's now time to find out about Trey Aubrey Lance, turning only 24 in May. Get ready," Spagnola said. "From all indications, Lance will be given a boatload of snaps during OTAs and the mandatory minicamp. When training camp begins, and while making sure Dak doesn't wear down in practice, watch for Lance to get the majority of the second-team snaps, probably some of the first."

"Heck, they know all they need to know about the veteran backup Rush. They need to find out, and in a hurry, about Lance. That should mean Lance likely getting the majority preseason game snaps, too."

October 8, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Trey Lance (15) watches

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas traded for Lance toward the end of the prep for last season and exclusively served as the team's emergency third quarterback after he arrived from San Francisco. Lance was the third pick of the 2021 draft but dealt with numerous and injuries and was made redundant upon the rise of Brock Purdy. Dallas able to afford his fourth year (total cap hit of $5.3 million) but an extraordinarily unlikely $22.4 million fifth option is looming.

To paraphrase Spagnola, it's probably now or never.

"The Cowboys will have only this season to determine if the guy who played just eight games in two seasons with San Francisco, starting but four, two of those the first two of the 2022 season before suffering a season-ending ankle injury, can play at the NFL level," Spagnola said. "This decision might seem a drop in the bucket with all else swirling around this team. Or it might become epic. Who knows? The Cowboys sure don't, not yet anyway.''

Spagnola further argues that such a strategy could help the Cowboys either now or later: he brings up the idea that Dallas has never been a stranger to stockpiling throwers (recalling that Tony Romo, Roger Staubach, and Danny White all began their respective reigns as franchise quarterbacks in their late 20s) an that Dallas could well dangle Lance in front of another quarterback-hungry team come the end of the summer.

Dedicating the summer to Lance could be an intriguing subplot that gives the preseason slate at least some meaning. But Dallas has lost the privilege of patience in a deadline management had to have known was coming the second they accepted San Francisco's offer. And suddenly they aren't certain about Lance's future here ... just as there is Prescott uncertaintly.