The Cowboys may consider using Trey Lance more throughout the coming offseason.

The Dallas Cowboys sent a 2024 fourth-round draft pick to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for quarterback Trey Lance last year. Dallas did this knowing that Dak Prescott and Lance would both be entering the final year of their respective contracts in 2024. Oh, and Cooper Rush is also set to hit free agency in 2025.

Pursuing players who saw their careers take unexpected turns is not a bad idea if the cost is a day three pick, but the right factors and variables have to line up in a logical way. That is clearly not the case here, but water under the bridge and all that.

Logic also suggests that the Cowboys will decline Lance’s fifth-year option which will ensure that he will reach the open market next year (matters are a bit more unknown with Prescott) which means they better make the most of their time together. It appears we could be on the verge of that happening.

Trey Lance could command a lot of second-team and even some first-team snaps at training camp

When the Cowboys traded for Lance in August last year there were many people who assumed he would immediately become the team’s primary backup to Prescott. This idea was a bit of an overreaction as there was basically no time between the trade and the regular season.

It can be argued that Lance has a higher ceiling than Cooper Rush, but the latter clearly had the higher floor at the time relative to the Cowboys’ offense. In a pinch, there was no way Lance would have a better understanding of anything than Rush simply because he did not have proper time to prepare himself.

Obviously that status quo is different what with Lance now being a part of the team for an entire offseason. According to the mothership’s Mickey Spagnola, he is in line for plenty of second-team work throughout training camp and even first-team snaps when Prescott is not a part of the fold.

But now it’s now time to find out about Trey Aubrey Lance, turning only 24 in May. Get ready. 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.

The Cowboys are almost forced to give Lance these opportunities so that they can see what they have in him, especially if they are seriously contemplating moving on from Prescott in 2025 and bringing Lance back. In that sense, the situation has sort of forced itself so this isn’t much of a surprise, but that does leave Cooper Rush a bit out in the cold.

So with that being said, why are the Cowboys keeping Rush? There is no guaranteed money left on his deal and carrying three quarterbacks is only fruitful if you feel like you really need them. If Lance is the sort-of-forced QB2 then the decision is made. Rush could potentially prosper elsewhere.

This isn’t advocating for releasing Rush, and he should always be commended for the fine job he did in 2022. But it seems like there is a little of living in both worlds here as it relates to backup quarterbacks on the team. Picking a side and living with it has its merits.