The Dallas Cowboys' Trey Lance experiment was ultimately a failure as they've moved on with other quarterbacks while Lance is on the street looking for an opportunity to continue his professional football career.
Once a highly-touted prospect selected third overall in the 2021 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, the inexperienced Lance dealt with injuries and struggled to ever get comfortable running an offense. That doesn't mean he isn't talented though, and Dallas brought him in for 2024 to allow the coaching staff time to evaluate him.
Things obviously didn't work out, but Lance is only 24 years old and could be on the verge of landing a surprise new job, albeit not in the NFL.
The @sskroughriders added QB Trey Lance - the #3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft — to their negotiation list on Monday of this week. Lance’s father, Carlton, is a former @sskroughriders cornerback. https://t.co/Dzv7K3PjYk
— Dave Naylor (@TSNDaveNaylor) March 26, 2025
Trey Lance Takes Big Step Toward Signing With CFL Team
According to Dave Naylor of TSN, the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL added Lance to their negotiation list on Monday. What that means is that the Roughriders are allowed to negotiate a deal with Lance as long as he's not currently under contract with any other team or league.
Lance's father, Carlton, was a cornerback for the Roughriders in 1993, recording 43 tackles while catching two passes with a TD on the offensive side of the ball as well. It's a stark fall from grace for Lance, though this wouldn't be the first time that we've seen a player revive their career by going to another professional league. He might be the most high-profile potential example, though there's a precedent.
For the player himself, the familiarity with the team and comfort could be what he's missed. Lance has only suited up for 12 games, starting five, and never truly got the chance to develop. A tantalizing dual-threat weapon with a cannon for an arm, Lance entered the NFL as a raw prospect but was robbed of his opportunity to grow in one specific offensive system.
It remains to be seen if Lance will actually sign with the CFL, though this is at least a positive sign that he still has options on the table as he tries to deliver on the great promise from his college years.