Why Cowboys' Trey Lance trade has no bearing on Dak Prescott's future (yet)

Trading for Trey Lance doesn't give the Cowboys much leverage over Dak Prescott.

The Dallas Cowboy sent shockwaves around the NFL on Friday when they traded a fourth-round pick for 49ers quarterback Trey Lance. Lance opened preseason as San Francisco's third-string QB and now gets fresh start where he can compete for the backup role and develop without the pressure of being a former No. 3 overall pick.

We admittedly didn't love the idea of trading for Lance at first.

Only because Dak Prescott is already critiqued under a microscope. Every dropback, throw and interception -- pretty much every decision he makes under center -- is scrutinized more than any other quarterback in the league.

Already facing pressure to make a deep playoff run, the Cowboys have essentially subjected Prescott to more criticism and pressure by acquiring Lance.

Ultimately, though, those variables are insignificant. Not only does Lance need major development before he can dream of challenging Prescott for the starting job, but Dak is cemented as the Cowboys' franchise quarterback.

Trading for Lance doesn't change that.

With Trey Lance under contract for two years, the Cowboys now have a developmental QB on board that could take them away from needing/wanting to draft one next year.

For one, Prescott's contract isn't movable. After multiple restructures, his cap hit next season balloons to $60 million. That isn't conducive to competing for a Super Bowl, and his contract includes a no-trade and no-tag clause. The only feasible solution to lowering that cap hit is signing him to an extension by March.

That doesn't sound like leverage, does it?

How long the extension will be remains to be seen. Regardless, Prescott has at least two more seasons as QB1 before the Lance replacement chatter enters the equation.

And if Prescott leads Dallas to the promised land or at least becomes a more consistent playoff performer, Lance will remain the backup for the foreseeable future. Unless he develops into starter material and the Cowboys flip him for a potential day 2 pick down the road.

Dak Prescott has a no trade clause, a $59.4M cap hit versus $61.9M dead cap hit in 2024, and a no franchise tag clause for 2025.Trey Lance’s acquisition is a blip on Dallas’ map…for now.

That brings us to Lance, who's currently QB3 behind Cooper Rush, who piloted a 4-1 stretch last season after Prescott underwent thumb surgery.

The former No. 3 overall pick's upside as a 23-year-old QB with high-level athleticism is undeniable, but he's attempted 102 passes in his NFL career and 400 in total between his college and pro career spanning the last five years.

That doesn't sound like leverage, does it?

It never hurts to have a contingency plan in waiting if contract talks went awry, Prescott underperforms or suffers another injury, but that's all conjecture, which, again, is insignificant.

The national media will push the narrative that Lance is Dak's eventual (maybe even immediate) successor. Maybe he is, but that has zero influence on the here and now, where Prescott is trusted as the franchise quarterback.

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