Getty Image / Loren Elliott
The Trey Lance experiment in San Francisco is over. The 3rd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft was supposed to be the quarterback of the future for the 49ers, but he was unceremoniously traded to the Dallas Cowboys on Friday.
The 49ers traded a ton of assets at the time to move up to the 3rd pick to get him. What did they get for Trey Lance in return? Well, not a lot.
Trade: 49ers are sending their former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance to the Dallas Cowboys for a mid-round, per sources. Lance now gets a fresh start in Dallas. pic.twitter.com/UxKNpljktv
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 25, 2023
Frankly, I think the 49ers gave up on Trey Lance too soon. He’s only 23, and he was always going to be a project. An injury that cost him basically all of last year set plans back, and 7th round rookie Brock Purdy did play okay. But, his upside is limited.
Still, once 2018 3rd overall pick Sam Darnold beat him out for the backup job, the writing was on the wall.
And, according to Adam Schefter, it was Trey Lance himself who demanded a trade and some new scenery.
Trey Lance requested to be traded Wednesday. The 49ers discussed a potential deal with some teams Thursday, and then the Cowboys stepped up and separated themselves by offering a fourth-round pick Friday.
Lance is now a Cowboy.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 26, 2023
49ers General Manager and NFL Hall of Famer John Lynch also commented on the trade.
49ers GM John Lynch — in the booth — on trading QB Trey Lance to the Cowboys: "We took a shot and it didn't work out. We own that. We take accountability for it… his story is still very much unwritten. I'm excited for Trey. Dallas stepped up and really wanted him." pic.twitter.com/4s6ERBYMNu
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 26, 2023
At the end of the day, it’s the end of a forgetful experiment for 49ers fans.