Trey Lance, drafted third overall, is already on his second team and will play his first game for the Dallas Cowboys in their preseason opener on Sunday.
The timing highlights the challenges Lance has faced in his short NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers and Cowboys. He is approaching this opportunity to prove himself as just another day.
“Very excited, very excited, but really just truly trying to take it one day at a time,” Lance said. “I think as soon as you start to look ahead, that’s when you kind of start to get yourself in trouble.”
Despite this mindset, the 24-year-old Lance knows how crucial the upcoming weeks are for his career, given the unusual events of the past year. He was at training camp with the 49ers around this time last year, played in their first two preseason games, and was then traded to the Cowboys on August 26.
Joining a team with an established starter in Dak Prescott and a backup in Cooper Rush has allowed Lance to focus on learning a new system.
However, with Prescott and Rush firmly in their roles, Lance has had limited practice reps, which is important for him to get as many live opportunities as possible.
Lance started 17 games in college at North Dakota State. His final college season was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving him with only one start as a redshirt freshman in October 2020.
This lack of experience continued with the 49ers, where Lance started four games and appeared in eight over two seasons after they traded up to select him in April 2021.
He suffered an ankle injury in Week 2 of the 2022 season against the Seattle Seahawks, which allowed Brock Purdy to take over as the starting quarterback. Lance was traded to the Cowboys for a fourth-round pick and did not play in any games for Dallas last season.
Every snap in a live setting, including the preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams, is important for Lance’s chance to become a starter again. He is trying to manage the pressure and focus on each moment.
