The Dallas Cowboys have pulled off a remarkable trade by acquiring Trey Lance from the San Francisco 49ers. This move came as a surprise to everybody, especially because they gave up draft capital to add a quarterback.

Despite having a clear starter in Dak Prescott, the Cowboys chose to take a chance on Trey Lance. The team envisions him as an intriguing option for their future, but the young player will initially be behind current veteran backup Cooper Rush.

The San Francisco 49ers’ decision to let go of Lance after just two years was prompted by his decline in the team’s depth chart, falling behind Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold. They were looking to move him, and Jerry Jones made the unexpected call that nobody saw coming.

Jerry Jones Admits Neither Prescott nor McCarthy Knew About the Trade

When a team with an already established quarterback finds a way to sign a young player at the position, they usually let him know beforehand. If that doesn’t happen it could a problem in the locker room, as it was the Packers’ case with Aaron Rodgers after drafting Jordan Love.

Jones took it one step further, as not only Prescott didn’t know about the trade, but neither did coach Mike McCarthy. “No, we, we didn’t tell anybody until we did it, period,” the Cowboys owner said on Saturday prior to the preseason finale.

Jones explained: “There was nobody that knew it. We told Mike after we had done it, but my point is we just wanted to get it done. We didn’t waste any time. The minute that we knew that they were serious about trading him, then we didn’t want the phone to hang up.”

What Did the Cowboys Trade for Trey Lance?

The Cowboys secured the trade for Trey Lance by sending a 2024 fourth-round draft pick to the 49ers.