Cowboys may have potential pair of trade options for Trey Lance

The Dallas Cowboys trading for Trey Lance never made a lick of sense, not with all the money they knew they were about to give Dak Prescott and a more than capable backup already on the roster in Cooper Rush.

But as fans of America's Team have known for decades now, Jerry Jones and logic don't always get along.

While Jones won't come out and admit it, Lance's $5.3 million cap hit for the 2024 season was a big reason why Dallas was unable to pursue Derrick Henry — or anyone else, for that matter — in free agency.

It's not the Cowboys gave all that much to the San Francisco 49ers to acquire Lance, but a fourth-round pick is a fourth-round pick. And the Niners put it to good use, drafting safety Malik Mustapha, who has stepped up nicely in the absence of Talanoa Hufanga.

And what does Dallas have to show for this odd move? Not a damn thing — minus a lighter checkbook, anyway — as Lance hasn't taken a single regular-season snap with a star on the side of his helmet.

It's not that the 2021 No. 3 overall pick doesn't have talent. He truly does. And had Brock Purdy not come in and exceeded expectations beyond belief, Lance would likely still be in San Francisco. But he was never going to get a shot to showcase what he can do with the Cowboys, which just makes the move all the more puzzling.

The Cowboys won't have to worry about this next year, as Lance is set to become an unrestricted free agent once this 2024 season concludes. That said, however, with the trade deadline just days away, Jones might actually be able to get some draft capital back if he can find a team willing to take a chance on Lance. And not only do we think there's one out there, we believe there are two.

Raiders are a possible landing spot for Cowboys QB Trey Lance

At 2-6, the Las Vegas Raiders aren't going anywhere this season. And it's no secret that they've got issues at the quarterback position.

Both Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew have had their moments with the franchise, but neither feels like a long-term answer for a team that hasn't won a playoff game in 22 years and has only made two postseason appearances in that same time frame.

Desmond Ridder is there, too, but that's only because O'Connell is on injured reserve with a broken thumb on his throwing hand. That won't be a thing in a few weeks.

One of the issues here is Minshew's contract, which is a two-year deal worth up to $25 million. However, there is an out after this year, but the Raiders would take a $10.82 million dead cap hit.

O'Connell is still in just the second season of his rookie deal, and as he was a fourth-round pick, he's only got cap hits of $1.157 million and $1.272 million over the next two years, respectively, so that's not a problem.

If Raiders GM Tom Telesco could get Jones to eat some of Lance's salary this season and send a late-round draft pick — we're talking a sixth- or seventh-rounder here — this might be worth considering. Again, the Minshew money creates some problems. But, honestly, they might be able to find someone willing to take him off their hands this offseason.

Cowboys should also be calling the Titans about Lance

An even better option for Jones to pick up and call is the Tennessee Titans, who are even worse off than the Raiders at quarterback and are in a better position financially.

Simply put, Will Levis isn't the guy. He shows flashes at times but then goes out and throws some of the worst interceptions you'll ever see. It's wild to say now, but getting rid of Malik Willis seems like a bad move.

Unlike the Raiders with Minshew, the Titans don't have significant money wrapped up in quarterbacks. As Levis was a second-round selection in 2023, he's making more than O'Connell, but his cap hits over the next two seasons are still only $2.602 million and $3.036 million, respectively.

And Mason Rudolph is a free agent at season's end. So, again, why not send a sixth- or seventh-rounder to the Cowboys for Trey Lance?

Now, I know what some of you may be thinking. Why would the Raiders or Titans trade for Lance now instead of just signing him as a free agent in the offseason? And that would be a valid question. The answer is that both could plug him into games now to see how he fits in with the franchise.

Neither team is going anywhere this season, so taking a flyer on a guy who you don't have to worry about in the offseason if you don't like him might be worth it, especially if you can get the Cowboys to pay some of his remaining salary this season.

It's a long shot, for sure, but I firmly believe there is a market out there for Lance, even if it's not that big at this point. Nothing can make up for this monstrous mistake Jones made, but if he can at least get even one late-round pick — or even a pick swap at this point to move up a few spots — it's at least something.

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