Stephen Jones on Trey Lance Trade: "No Regrets at All"

 

After the Cowboys’ loss to the Texans on Monday night, owner Jerry Jones expressed that he doesn’t have a desire to see Trey Lance play before the season ends. The Cowboys traded a fourth-round pick for the quarterback, but Lance, who has yet to start a game in Dallas, is set to become a free agent in March.

The trade is likely to go down as one of the worst in Cowboys’ history. 49ers General Manager John Lynch admitted that San Francisco got more for Lance than expected, using the 124th overall pick to select safety Malik Mustapha, who has started six games and played in 10. However, Dallas could have drafted a running back in that spot, with Bucs rookie Bucky Irving (125th overall), 49ers rookie Isaac Guerendo (129th overall), and Jets rookie Braelon Allen (134th overall) all performing well this season.

Despite the missteps, the Cowboys stand by their decision. For the first time, executive vice president Stephen Jones revealed that the uncertainty surrounding Dak Prescott’s contract was a major factor in the trade. The Cowboys did not sign Prescott to a contract extension until a year later.

“[Lance] is a top-tier pick, a guy we had at the top," Stephen Jones explained on 105.3 The Fan. "As you know, Dak was coming up for a contract, and we wanted to take a look at a good, young talent and didn’t feel like we could get anything from a quality standpoint like we could get with Trey. As it turns out, we ended up signing Dak long-term. So, obviously that puts a little less need in terms of having to rush to do something with Trey. Matter of fact, it makes it hard because Trey, I’m sure, is wanting to see what’s out there now that we have committed to Dak long-term. But I don’t regret that at all.”

With Prescott out for the season with a torn hamstring, Jerry Jones confirmed that Cooper Rush would continue to start, as he gives the Cowboys the best chance to win. As a result, Lance will remain sidelined and likely leave Dallas without ever starting a regular-season game. The Cowboys will have spent a fourth-round pick and $6.25 million on a player who didn’t contribute on the field.