Cowboys' Trey Lance 'at my best' entering QB2 battle with Cooper Rush

Tumultuous as Trey Lance ‘s two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers proved to be, the 2021 NFL Draft’s No. 3 overall pick still came away with some experience.

Lance participated in eight games and started four of them for the 49ers.

Lance has not played a single snap since he joined the Dallas Cowboys ahead of 2023, however.

Regardless, Lance feels significantly more confident and at ease in his own shoulder pads during the spring of 2024. As the player previously identified as the future franchise quarterback for the 49ers starts a battle for the second quarterback position in Dallas, Lance is of the belief that he’s at his best since turning professional.

“I think the biggest thing is I’ve learned a lot about myself and who I am on and off the field,” Lance said this week, via the Cowboys team website’s Nick Harris. “This offseason, I’ve been at my best mentally, physically, spiritually knowing who I am, where I am and being able to be present.”

Lance is set for arm-to-arm combat with Cooper Rush this training camp and preseason for the right to back up Dak Prescott. Rush, 30, is an undrafted free agent who joined Dallas back in 2017 and has played in 26 games over his career, which included a memorable run in 2022. With Prescott down, Rush stepped up, delivering a 4-1 record as a starter.

Therefore, it won’t be easy for Lance to secure Dallas’ backup position, let alone regain the high hopes and ambitions he once had.

Despite this, his innate abilities persist and he is not only more at ease with himself but also with his new team. One of the primary apprehensions about Lance preceding the ’21 draft was his limited experience, as he had only been the starting player for one complete season at North Dakota State, a lower-tier FCS program.

Then with the 49ers, injuries and the Cinderella story of Brock Purdy were among the leading reasons he was a bust in the Bay Area.

Lance was 2-2 as a starter for the 49ers and 0-1 in QB2 competitions, having lost a backup battle to Sam Darnold in the 2023 preseason, which paved the way for his trade to the Cowboys.

Lance acquired knowledge and listened attentively in 2023, which he anticipates will yield benefits for him in the future.

“He said, “Definitely, my confidence has significantly increased since I first entered the NFL. Initially, I was unsure of what to expect, which I believe is a common sentiment among most, if not all, rookies at some point in their first year. I am very satisfied with my current position. I am focusing on making continuous improvements, learning, and becoming a better quarterback.”

This includes improving as a quarterback in an offense that is different from the one he initially learned in San Francisco.

“He said, “The offense here is just different. In San Francisco, we hardly ever dropped out in the gun and passed on first-and-10. However, here it’s completely different as we often do that. We have the personnel and the coaching staff to effectively execute it.”

This is a pivotal season for the Cowboys, who lost a number of notable free agents, did little to revamp the roster in the way of free agency and are entering contract years with Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Zack Martin, among others.

Lance is likewise at a pivotal juncture in his career. He’s still just 24 and heading into the final year of his rookie contract after Dallas unsurprisingly did not pick up his fifth-year option. Winning a QB battle with Rush could potentially lead to a career rekindling. At the least, it could lead to Lance finding his way back into NFL action. He hasn’t played since suffering a season-ending ankle injury on Sept. 18, 2022.

“I’m thrilled,” declared Lance. “Clearly, I haven’t played a snap since the previous preseason. I’m just eager and anticipating it, ensuring that I’m prepared when the time arrives.”