Cowboys to decline Trey Lance’s fifth-year option, source says

FRISCO, Texas — Unsurprisingly, the Dallas Cowboys will decline to pick up the fifth-year option on quarterback Trey Lance, a source told ESPN.

That decision was essentially made in August when the Cowboys acquired Lance from the San Francisco 49ers for a 2024 fourth-round pick. Had the Cowboys picked up the option, it would have cost $22.4 million, been fully guaranteed and been at odds with the club’s stated preference of keeping Dak Prescott after 2024.

As it stands, the Cowboys do not have a quarterback on their roster signed beyond this season, with Prescott, Lance and Cooper Rush set to hit unrestricted free agency in March. The Cowboys are unable to use the franchise tag on Prescott, and the quarterback recently said talks had not really started on an extension.

Lance is set to make $5.31 million this season in base salary and option bonus as part of the fully guaranteed, $34.1 million deal he signed with the Niners as the third pick of the 2021 draft. Of the four quarterbacks selected in the first round that year, only Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence has had his fifth-year option exercised.

Teams have until Thursday to pick up the option.

Zach Wilson (No. 2, New York Jets), Lance, Justin Fields (No. 11, Chicago Bears) and Mac Jones (No. 15, New England Patriots) were traded to the Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars, respectively, in the last year.

While Lance was inactive for every game last year, the Cowboys liked the progress he made in practice. He figures to see expanded action in the three preseason games this summer because Prescott has not played in the exhibition season since 2019.

Earlier this offseason, owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Lance’s “arrow” was pointing up.

“We think Lance is a good addition looking ahead,” Jones said during last weekend’s draft. “I’ve got him right here in this draft as if he was a draft pick for us.”