Quarterback Trey Lance spent two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys after being traded by the San Francisco 49ers, who selected him third overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. The move to acquire Lance remains one of the most costly mistakes of the John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan era, as the 49ers gave up significant draft capital to trade up for him.
Fortunately for San Francisco, the team found redemption the following year by selecting Brock Purdy with the last overall pick. Purdy has since emerged as a rising NFL star.
Meanwhile, Lance continues searching for a new NFL home. According to Dave Naylor of TSN, the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League have added Lance to their negotiating list (h/t Pro Football Talk). This gives them exclusive rights to sign him if he decides to play in Canada.
Naylor also noted Lance's connection to the team—his father, Carlton Lance, played cornerback for the Roughriders in 1993.
The @sskroughriders added QB Trey Lance - the #3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft — to their negotiation list on Monday of this week. Lance's father, Carlton, is a former @sskroughriders cornerback. https://t.co/Dzv7K3PjYk
— Dave Naylor (@TSNDaveNaylor) March 26, 2025
Lance played in eight games over two seasons with the 49ers, earning the starting role in 2022 before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 2. His replacement, Jimmy Garoppolo, was later injured, paving the way for Purdy to take over as the 49ers' starter.
Now awaiting a contract extension, most expect Purdy to become one of the NFL's highest-paid players.
Lance appeared in four games with one start for the Cowboys, completing 61 percent of his passes for 266 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception, per Pro Football Reference.