While the Dallas Cowboys’ playoff hopes dwindle at 3-6, there are still reasons to watch as they face an uncertain remainder of the season. While a playoff push seems distant, the team may be strategically playing for better draft positioning rather than aiming for a postseason berth.
However, this extended stretch can benefit individual players’ performances. The Cowboys have a substantial list of free agents who could either impress the current Dallas coaching staff or secure opportunities with other teams in the upcoming offseason. Quarterback Trey Lance falls into this category. Although Week 11 won’t offer him a starting role, the coaching staff is expected to give him his chance sooner rather than later.
Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon expressed confidence in Lance’s potential amidst Dallas’ roster dynamics. In his ”5 Bold Predictions for the Rest of the 2024 Season,” Gagnon believes Lance will seize the opportunity created by Dak Prescott’s impending surgery, ultimately launching himself into a lucrative contract situation next offseason.
Right place, right time. The Cowboys have lost Dak Prescott for the remainder of the year, and Cooper Rush has been so bad that Trey Lance is bound to get some serious work down the stretch.
Surrounded by plenty of talent, look for the skilled 24-year-old to put on some shows just as his contract expires.
I’m not saying he’ll salvage his career, but the 2021 No. 3 pick is in the ideal environment to fire up some teams that might be desperate enough to believe he could be a late-blooming answer.
At the very least, Lance will do enough to earn a Sam Darnold-like top-tier backup contract as an insurance policy somewhere.
Related: Jones, McCarthy Likely at Odds Over Which QB Should Obviously Start Rest of 2024
A contract similar to Darnold’s, whose deal with the Minnesota Vikings averaged around $10 million per year as a backup, could be within reach for Lance. This scenario mirrors former Viking Sam Darnold’s path; after an unpredictable tenure in New York, he found success as a backup in Minnesota, leading them into playoff contention and proving his worth to the league.
If Lance mirrors Darnold’s trajectory, it could cost the Cowboys draft positioning and possibly earn them a compensatory pick in 2026.
