The Dallas Cowboys may not be able to revive their playoff chances in 2024, but that doesn't mean there's nothing salvageable from the season. Dallas is 3-6 and will watch the rest of the league play in Week 11 games before they get a chance to take the field. While there is still a lot of work to be done in the season, the Cowboys are likely playing for draft positioning, not playoff positioning.
But playing out the string can benefit individual players. Dallas has one a lot of free agents Who could either audition for a new coaching staff in Dallas or a new franchise outside of DFW. That includes quarterback Trey Lance. Sooner or later the coaching staff will give Lance a chance to play in the starting lineup, but not in Week 11. But if he can do it, you're confident he'll play pretty well when he does.
Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report identified the fifth-year quarterback as someone poised to make a name for himself in the author's 5 Bold Predictions for the remainder of the 2024 season. Gagnon believes Lance will take advantage of the opportunity presented by Dak Prescott's upcoming surgery and exploit it until he signs a lucrative contract in the offseason.
Right place, right time. The Cowboys lost Dak Prescott for the rest of the year, and Cooper Rush was so bad that Trey Lance is sure to get some work in the future.
Surrounded by a lot of talent, look for the talented 24-year-old who is currently putting on some shows after his contract expires.
I'm not saying he'll save his career, but the No. 3 pick for 2021 is 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 secure a quality backup contract like Sam Darnold somewhere as an insurance policy.
Related: Jones and McCarthy likely disagree about which QB should start the remainder of 2024
A deal like Sam Darnold would give Lance around $10 million on a one-year deal to prove himself; The former Jet was designated as a replacement for a rookie quarterback in Minnesota. JJ McCarthy was sidelined this year due to injury and Darnold stepped in and led the Vikings to the playoffs, surprising many.
If Lance has that in him, he will likely lose the Cowboys some draft slot positions and give them a 2026 compensatory pick.
