The Dallas Cowboys’ decision to acquire Trey Lance continues to raise eyebrows and questions about their strategy. Now, 14 months after bringing him on board, it seems the Cowboys may have wasted a valuable fourth-round pick.
Lance’s potential value plummeted significantly when Dak Prescott signed a four-year, $240 million extension just before the season began. With the logical choice to decline Lance’s fifth-year option, the Cowboys are still responsible for his $5.31 million salary this season, a result of the fully guaranteed $34.1 million contract he signed with the San Francisco 49ers after being drafted No. 3 overall in 2021.
The trade has quickly soured, especially following the Cowboys’ bye week. Meanwhile, Malik Mustapha, a fourth-round pick by the 49ers, has been making waves as a key contributor to San Francisco’s defense. Despite a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Mustapha showcased his talents with a standout performance, recording 12 tackles and making a significant impact on the field.
Filling in for the injured Tanaloa Hufanga, Mustapha played with a tenacity that Cowboys fans have been longing for. He made several jaw-dropping tackles, including a game-changing hit on a running play in the first quarter, reminding fans of the physicality expected from safeties like Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker.
In stark contrast, Lance finds himself buried on the Cowboys’ depth chart, now third behind Cooper Rush and limited to emergency duty. With a $5.31 million cap hit, he ranks eighth on the Cowboys’ roster, surpassing established players like Jourdan Lewis and Tyler Smith.
This trade decision ultimately falls on the Cowboys’ front office. Whether they hoped to use Lance as leverage in negotiations with Prescott or believed he could be a future asset, the outcome has turned into a costly blunder that raises questions about the team’s direction.
