OXNARD, Calif. — Trey Lance was drafted third overall, is already on his second team, and will finally play his first game for the Dallas Cowboys in their preseason opener on Sunday.
The countdown reflects the turbulence Lance has endured in his brief NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers and Cowboys, but he is treating the initial chance to show what he is still capable of in a game 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.”
Even with that mindset, the 24-year-old Lance understands how important the next few weeks will be for his career given how unusual the past 365 days have been. He was in training camp with the 49ers at this time last year, and Lance played in their first two exhibition games before being traded to the Cowboys on Aug. 26.
Coming to a team with an established starter in Dak Prescott and backup in Cooper Rush allowed Lance to focus on learning a new system. The downside of having those two firmly locked into their roles above him left Lance with limited reps in practice when he needs all the live looks he can get.
Lance started 17 games in college at North Dakota State, and his final season was essentially scuttled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving him with one start as a redshirt freshman in October 2020.
That lack of seasoning carried over into his 49ers tenure, where Lance started four games and appeared in eight over two seasons after they traded up to take him in April 2021. Lance broke his ankle in Week 2 of the 2022 season against the Seattle Seahawks, which allowed Brock Purdy to seize the starting quarterback job and leading to him being moved to Dallas for a fourth-round pick. Lance was inactive for every Cowboys game last season.
Every snap in a live setting, including the preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams, is significant for Lance’s chances of becoming a starter again. He is trying to minimize that pressure.
“Honestly, I don’t think I want to take it any different than I have any other preseason,” Lance said. “It’s not like I’m going to try any harder, or I didn’t try as hard in the last few preseason games or games or practices, whatever it is. I go out, give my all every single day and take it one day at a time.”
The Cowboys expect Lance to make the most of the opportunity. He has fit in well with Prescott and Rush on and off the field to maximize their mentorship, joining them and the Cowboys receiving corps for summer workouts in Oregon prior to training camp.
Lance has even taken to using some of Prescott’s verbiage, describing his approach as “I just try to be present, be where my feet are” to copy a Prescott-ism.
“I truly believe everything happens for a reason, so whether it was my injuries, getting traded, anything like that, I feel like I’m in the best spot,” Lance said.
Prescott is confident Lance will make the most of the opportunity.
“I know that he’s improved so much just from his time when he showed us back in last fall to where he is now,” Prescott said. “I expect him to have a big day.”
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