The Trey Lance era is over in San Francisco.
Relegated to just four starts in two seasons due to injury, Lance has been traded to the Dallas Cowboys according to Adam Schefter, a few days after it was announced that he was beat out for the No. 2 quarterback job by Sam Darnold. According to Schefter, the 49ers are getting a fourth-round pick in return.
Lance, 23, was selected with the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft after the 49ers traded three first-round picks to move up. The plan was for him to essentially redshirt his first year behind Jimmy Garoppolo before taking the reigns. Lance dealt with a broken finger his rookie season which hampered his development, and sustained a broken ankle in Week 2 of last season after he was named the starter.
Eventually, rookie Brock Purdy took over the starting QB role and led the 49ers to eight straight wins before getting hurt himself in the NFC Championship Game. Purdy’s ascendence combined with Lance’s bad injury luck saw his path to the starting job diminished heading into this season, and further so after he was beat out in camp by Darnold.