NFL insider confirms Trey Lance trade screwed Cowboys in NFL Draft

Dak Prescott still doesn't have a new contract, but that doesn't make the Trey Lance trade look any better for the Dallas Cowboys. In a best-case scenario, Lance will be an upside bridge quarterback for the Cowboys if they were to move on from Prescott after the 2024 season.

The only problem? Dallas is hell-bent on keeping Prescott long-term. Jerry and Stephen Jones and even VP of player personnel Will McClay have all gone on the record after the NFL Draft that they want Prescott to be a Cowboy for life.

Even if Prescott isn't a lifetime Cowboy, odds are he signs a new deal before next season. In the meantime, fans are questioning why the team shipped a 2024 fourth-round pick to solve the 49ers' Trey Lance mess.

While the Cowboys put together a strong draft, not having a fourth-round pick loomed large as they passed on taking a running back. It's assumed they would have selected a RB in round four and ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler rubbed salt in the proverbial wound in a recent article.

Trey Lance trade prevented the Cowboys from drafting a star running back

Per Fowler, the Cowboys loved Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright, who was a popular choice among the fan base as well.

"The Cowboys also really liked Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright, who went No. 120 overall (the 20th pick of the fourth round) to Miami. If the Cowboys had a fourth-rounder and Wright were still available, chances are they would have jumped on him."

That is a tough one to swallow. What stings even more is that the player the 49ers drafted with Dallas' fourth-round pick -- Wake Forest safety Malik Mustapha -- went four picks before Wright. The Dolphins didn't have a round four pick before the draft so they traded into the round to take Wright.

It stands to reason that the Cowboys would have considered trading up for Wright once they heard rumblings of Miami's interest. They have multiple 2025 compensatory picks coming their way, so they likely would have been comfortable parting with a pick next year to get the former Volunteer.

It's really as simple as this: Who would you rather have on the Cowboys' 2024 roster: Lance or Wright? The answer is Wright. Dallas could have just taken Wright with one of their two third round picks, but it's clear they had Marist Liufau higher on their board. This also isn't about Liufau.

Round four was considered the sweet spot to take a RB this year. It wasn't a star-studded class by any stretch, but experts believed several future starters could be found on day three.

With 4.38 speed and a natural ability to create yards after contact and force missed tackles, Wright could prove to be one of them. Meanwhile, there's a better chance than not that Lance isn't on the Cowboys' roster in 2025.

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