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Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Addresses Trey Lance Trade

August 26th, 2023 at 8:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys won a brief, Day 3 picks-laden bidding war last night for Trey Lance last night. The move gives Dallas a notable name on the QB depth chart behind Dak Prescott, and owner Jerry Jones elaborated on the thought process behind the move on Saturday.

The Cowboys acquired Lance for a 2024 fourth-round pick – a pittance of a return from San Francisco’s perspective considering the price they paid to move up in the 2021 draft to select him third overall. The deal sorts out the 49ers’ situation under center with Brock Purdy set to be backed up by Sam Darnold and Brandon Allen. Dallas, meanwhile, has Prescott and Cooper Rush in place, along with Lance as a developmental project.

“Quarterbacks are a precious commodity in the NFL,” Jones said when asked about the deal (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “We should have in the wings a quarterback on the come. When San Francisco called, I didn’t want them to hang up… We want to back Dak Prescott up as well as we can… You can’t have enough quarterbacks. We’ll see how it works out, but it’s worth any risk we’re taking here.”

Jones added that he does not foresee Lance playing during the regular season this year, but questions have been raised about how it could affect Prescott’s future. The latter is on the books through 2024, but he is due to carry a cap hit of $59.5MM that year. An extension for the 30-year-old aimed at lowering that figure has been on the team’s radar for several months now. The presence of Prescott for the short- and, in all likelihood, medium-term future did not play a role in the Lance deal.

Jones added (via ESPN’s Todd Archer) that Prescott’s financial situation was not a consideration when negotiating the Lance trade, and that the two-time Pro Bowler was not notified about the trade before it was official. The Cowboys have been eyeing a developmental passer in each of the past several drafts, with Jones saying the team was prepared to draft Jalen Hurts in 2020. They now have a 23-year-old to attempt to develop in Lance while relying on Prescott for at least the time being.

From a financial standpoint, Lance will not be a burdensome signal-caller until next year. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated tweets that the 49ers already paid out a $2.82MM roster bonus, leaving the Cowboys responsible for only his base salary ($940K) in 2023. Next season, on the other hand, Lance will be due a fully guaranteed $5.31MM. Where he stands in the Cowboys’ organizational plans by that point will be worth watching closely.

NFL Roster Rumors: Cowboys, Green, Bears, Mann, Smith

August 26th, 2023 at 3:58pm CST by Ely Allen

The Cowboys‘ offensive line remains a strength heading into the 2023 season. The depth of the offensive line is a different story, though. Behind the starting five, there is a drastic drop in talent, leading Jon Machota of The Athletic to believe that Dallas may pursue adding some offensive line talent from outside the organization before the start of the season.

Currently, the Cowboys’ offensive line depth projected to make the initial 53-man roster is comprised of tackles Matt Waletzko and Asim Richards and linemen Josh Ball, Matt Farniok, and Chuma Edoga. Dallas’ offensive line is likely strong enough along the starting five to weather the temporary need to play a backup, but if the team has to rely on any of the bottom five long-term, it would be a tremendous drop off in production wherever the backup is plugged in.

The situation in Dallas may not be drastic enough to require a trade acquisition, but the Cowboys will likely be perusing the open market once the roster cut deadline rolls around.

Here are a few more roster rumors as the close of the preseason continues:

  • The Steelers embarked on an experiment akin to that of their division rivals in Maryland as they attempted to work center Kendrick Green into a fullback/tight end role a la Patrick Ricard of the Ravens. According to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, the move was a result of Green getting buried on the depth chart of the offensive line. As Green slipped down to third-string center or fourth-team guard, Pittsburgh allowed him to fully pursue the Ricard-role he had simulated in game prep for Ravens matchups. Unfortunately, the magic wasn’t there for Green. A later Kaboly report informed that Green had been moved back to center and that, as low as he is on the depth chart, he’ll likely have trouble retaining a roster spot come next Tuesday.
  • Although starting offensive guard Teven Jenkins continues to struggle with staying healthy, it doesn’t appear that the Bears will pursue offensive line help for the upcoming season, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. While it wouldn’t be an ideal outcome, Chicago feels confident in the backups it has available. Former first-round pick Alex Leatherwood has a year of the system under his belt now and should provide some quality depth immediately behind Jenkins. The Bear will likely retain other quality backups like Larry Borom and Lucas Patrick who could fill in if Leatherwood struggles in injury replacement duties. Whatever the options, Chicago feels confident with its cache of linemen.
  • The Eagles are set to head into the 2023 season with Arryn Siposs retaining punting duties for the third consecutive season. After he suffered a serious ankle injury late last year, though, Philadelphia didn’t shy away from attempting to bring in some competition for Siposs. The team had submitted a waiver claim for former Jets punter Braden Mann before he was awarded to the Steelers. If the Eagles are still interested in adding depth at punter before the start of the season, Mann is unlikely to beat out Pressley Harvin III in Pittsburgh, so he may be available after roster cuts, according to Adam Caplan of Pro Football Network.
  • Newly acquired linebacker Jaylon Smith has found a renewed drive in New Orleans. The veteran has already worked his way up the Saints‘ depth chart to a battle for the third linebacker spot. While that sounds positive, the Saints defense rarely utilizes three linebackers on the field at the same time with the team placing more value on additional pass rushers or defensive backs. According to John Sigler of USA Today, head coach Dennis Allen has delineated that a special teams role is the key for Smith to find a path towards a roster spot. While Smith has provided a boost to the team’s linebacker depth, his new head coach wants to see him covering punt and kickoff returns in order to cement his place on the 53-man roster.

Trey Lance Fallout: Trade Request, Other Suitors, Cowboys

August 26th, 2023 at 9:39am CST by Ben Levine

The Trey Lance era in San Francisco proved to be short lived, as the 49ers traded the former third-overall pick to the Cowboys last night. While the quarterback went from franchise cornerstone to QB3 in only two years, general manager John Lynch still had high praise for Lance following the deal.

[RELATED: 49ers Trade QB Trey Lance to Cowboys]

“Really hard day, such a wonderful young man,” Lynch said last night (via NFL.com’s Coral Smith). “We took a shot and it didn’t work out. We own that. We take accountability for it. But I think, as I think you guys do, his story is still very much unwritten. I’m excited for Trey. Dallas stepped up and really wanted him and they came after him. And I think it’s going to be a great landing spot for him. I can tell everybody, it wasn’t for lack of effort on Trey’s part or on our part, that it didn’t work. Circumstances took hold and he struggled through injuries and this team’s ready to win. We like our quarterback room. We like Brock Purdy a lot, we like Sam Darnold and we like Brandon Allen. So we wish Trey all the best in Dallas. We’ll always care about that young man and admire his work ethic and the person that he is.”

As ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted this morning, Lance actually requested to be traded earlier this week after learning he’d be the third quarterback behind Purdy and Darnold. The young QB wasn’t necessarily looking for a chance to start elsewhere; according to 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, Lance was happy with being the top backup in a different situation.

“He told us that he would like another opportunity to go somewhere where he had a chance to be the No. 2,” Shanahan said (via NFL.com). “We thought we got some good deals for him; there was a number of teams involved. To end up getting the fourth was a little better than we anticipated and clears up a lot of money and allows a better situation for him, too.”

Unsurprisingly, the Cowboys weren’t the only suitor for Lance’s services. Dianna Russini tweets that the Bills, Ravens, and Lions were among the teams that showed interest in the young signal caller. Russini adds that the 49ers intended to trade Lance to the AFC, but the organization pivoted to an NFC foe when they only received offers of conditional fifth-round picks (that were more likely to be sixth-round picks). Schefter notes that the 49ers began fielding offers for Lance on Thursday, and the Cowboys separated themselves from the pack on Friday.

Lynch and Shanahan weren’t the only members of the 49ers to speak kindly of Lance. Purdy mentioned how his former teammate helped him during his improbable run late last season.

“Going in last year and then him just being by my side from the get-go — sideline, meetings, in the locker room, wherever we are at — man, he’s been a real one,” Purdy said (via Cam Inman of the Mercury News). “…Lance helped me come into the league and welcome me with open arms and showed me the ropes to this whole thing. So can’t tell you how grateful I am for him and to have him in my life and to be here with him. So, forever grateful for Trey.”

Attention will now shift to Dallas, where Lance will serve as the backup to Dak Prescott. According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, the Cowboys had a second-round grade on the quarterback during the 2021 draft. That’s obviously a far cry from the third-overall pick, but it still goes to show that the organization believed the prospect could at least be a worthy NFL quarterback.

49ers Trade QB Trey Lance to Cowboys

August 25th, 2023 at 11:03pm CST by Ely Allen

The 49ers have found their trade partner for former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the young quarterback will now head to Dallas to compete for the backup job behind Dak Prescott. San Francisco receives a return on Lance of a 2024 fourth-round pick, according to a later Schefter tweet.

One day after general manager John Lynch claimed Lance would “most likely” remain a 49er, the Lance experiment is now over in the Bay Area. After trading three first-round picks and a third-round pick to swap draft slots with the Dolphins in order to select Lance, the 49ers only saw four starts in two years and a fourth-round pick for their major investment.

Injuries and the emergence of last year’s Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy, contributed to Lance’s lack of opportunities and success in his first two seasons. Now, with fellow former first-round pick Sam Darnold coming in to claim the backup quarterback job in San Francisco, Lance had found himself sliding down the depth chart in his third year. The 49ers will move forward with Purdy and Darnold in 2023.

Dallas is secure with Prescott at starting quarterback. They do have a need for a strong backup passing option considering Prescott hasn’t played a full season for the Cowboys since 2019. Over the past three years, Prescott has missed 17 of a possible 50 games. Dallas has been lucky to win eight of the last 10 games Prescott has sat out, but the potential Lance still holds as a former high draft pick still presents the opportunity for improvement at the position behind Prescott.

The money is an interesting aspect looking forward at the deal. Prescott is set for a contract year in 2024 in which he will hold a $59.46MM cap hit. He has a no-trade clause and is not able to be franchise-tagged, so the only solution out of that egregious cap number is an extension, a restructured contract, or getting Prescott to waive his no-trade clause for a preferred trade destination. Lance, on the other hand, is set to earn $940K this season and $1.55MM next year with a $4.26MM roster bonus. The Cowboys will also get the decision of whether or not to exercise Lance’s fifth-year option in 2025.

In the immediate future, Lance will come in and compete with Cooper Rush for the primary backup position behind Prescott. There’s likely a hope in Dallas that not only will Lance beat out Rush for the QB2 role, but that eventually, Lance might provide them with a serviceable option should they choose to move on from Prescott. Obviously, Lance hasn’t shown that ability to consistently start, but the Cowboys are holding out hope that he can still develop into more than we saw in San Francisco.

It’s finally official, though: Lance will get a fresh start in Dallas. After failing to stay on the field for various reasons in San Francisco, Lance will attempt to solidify a spot in the NFL with the Cowboys over the next two or three years.

RB Rumors: Cowboys, Eagles, Mattison

August 25th, 2023 at 5:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Letting Ezekiel Elliott sign with the Patriots and not making a known entrance into the Jonathan Taylor sweepstakes, the Cowboys are still planning to give one of their in-house running backs the backup job to Tony Pollard. Last year’s third-stringer behind Elliott and Pollard, Malik Davis, may be fighting an uphill battle to merely make Dallas’ 53-man roster. With Rico Dowdle the favorite to be Pollard’s top backup, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill notes Davis may be facing a cut. Dowdle and elusive rookie Deuce Vaughn have outplayed Davis during camp, per Hill, with the latter — a 5-foot-5 sixth-rounder out of Kansas State — flashing in games. Vaughn starred with the Wildcats for three seasons, excelling as both a runner and receiver, and continues to make a case for a role on offense.

Dowdle arrived in the NFL as a 2020 UDFA; Davis joined the Cowboys as a UDFA last year. Dowdle has not logged a regular-season carry since 2020, but it looks like the South Carolina product is poised to change that pattern this season. Here is the latest from the running back scene:

  • The Eagles have a deeper cast of running backs, at least in terms of experience. Philly added both Rashaad Penny and D’Andre Swift this offseason, and Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott are on track to maintain roles in the defending NFC champions’ crowded backfield. This leaves Trey Sermon as the likeliest odd man out, per The Athletic’s Zach Berman (subscription required). The Eagles added Sermon, a 2021 third-round pick, following his 49ers cut last year but only used him in two games. Sermon could be a practice squad option; he spent much of his first Eagles year as part of that 16-man unit. But the Eagles’ present backfield configuration adds another hurdle for a player once projected to be the 49ers’ Week 1 starter.
  • The Vikings guaranteed 90.7% of Alexander Mattison‘s two-year, $7MM contract — a deal that replaces Dalvin Cook‘s as the top running back pact on the team’s payroll — but incentives will allow the fifth-year back to add to that total. If Mattison clears 750 rushing yards, he would pick up $250K. This applies to each season on the contract, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan notes. That number would bump up to $500K in each year if Mattison notches 1,000 yards. While Mattison has never eclipsed 500 yards in a season, he was never in realistic position to do so. With Cook cut, the longtime RB2 is set for his first season as Minnesota’s starter. The Vikings see Mattison, 25, as a three-down player, Caplan adds, noting the team is determining its RB2. Ty Chandler, kick returner Kene Nwangwu and seventh-round rookie DeWayne McBride are in place behind Mattison.
  • Tarik Cohen is coming off two season-nullifying injuries. The former Bears running back/return man suffered ACL and MCL tears in 2021, and less than a week after Chicago cut him (in May 2022), Cohen suffered an Achilles tear. The former Pro Bowl returner is healthy and ready to work out for teams, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. The Bears used Cohen regularly as an outlet option for Mitch Trubisky. In 2018, the 5-6 back totaled 725 receiving yards and led the NFL in punt-return yardage. Although RB value has tanked in 2023, Cohen could represent an interesting flier as a passing-down option. Granted, this is not a good time for a back to be seeking a job coming off two season-ending maladies.

Cowboys DE Sam Williams Arrested

August 25th, 2023 at 8:55am CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 25: Providing further details on Williams’ arrest via the police report, Hill notes (on Twitter) the second-year edge rusher was found to have a vape pen with a synthetic narcotic (which is a controlled substance) in his possession, as well as marijuana. Williams also had a Glock hand gun and 14 rounds of ammunition, and was caught driving 71 mph in a 45-mph zone. Those details will no doubt be central to any league investigation into the situation which takes place separate from the legal process unfolding.

AUGUST 23: Frisco (Texas) police arrested Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams on gun and drug charges Sunday night, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Unlawful carrying of a weapon and possession of a controlled substance represent the charges against the second-year edge rusher. While Williams, 24, was back at practice Tuesday, this arrest could certainly produce a suspension, as it comes months after another off-field incident.

A December 2022 car accident led to a police investigation, with Hill adding an arrest warrant was issued for Williams, who was cited for misdemeanor reckless driving. That wreck led to Williams’ hospitalization and a missed Week 16 game, due to a concussion and a neck strain, but further details revealed the Ole Miss alum was driving “up to” 98 mph — in a 55-mph zone — shortly before that crash, Hill adds.

Williams displayed pass-rushing talent as a rookie, registering four sacks as a backup in 15 games. He finished with 10 tackles for loss. While the Cowboys re-signed Dante Fowler and still have Dorance Armstrong under contract behind starters Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, Williams is expected to remain a key part of the team’s deep pass-rushing corps. But Williams’ off-field troubles can now be labeled frequent. A sexual battery charge while at Ole Miss led to a suspension in July 2020. This charge was later dropped, and the Rebels reinstated Williams during that season.

The two incidents involving Williams as a pro could lead to a suspension. Convictions do not need to arise for players to be banned under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

NFC East Notes: Commanders, Kearse, Giants

August 24th, 2023 at 10:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Battling a turf toe issue sustained Monday night, Terry McLaurin will not need surgery. But an extended rest period is underway. This hiatus has the top Commanders skill-position talent uncertain to be ready by Week 1, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler (Twitter links). McLaurin has not missed a game due to injury since 2020. The Commanders have made some big investments at wide receiver since starting McLaurin’s tenure off with little around him. Curtis Samuel is going into the final season of his three-year, $34.5MM contract, and the team has first-rounder Jahan Dotson going into his second season. But McLaurin has been one of the NFL’s best receivers, totaling his third straight 1,000-yard season months after signing a three-year, $69.6MM extension.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Addresses Zack Martin Raise

August 20th, 2023 at 3:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys dealt with a growing training camp issue by reworking guard Zack Martin‘s contract. As a result, the six-time All-Pro will see $36.85MM in fully guaranteed money over the final two years of his deal.

Owner Jerry Jones made a number of public remarks which suggested the Cowboys were not particularly interested in renegotiating Martin’s pact, one which originally set the market for guards but had been overtaken in recent years by other mega-contracts at the position. A lengthy (and expensive) holdout by the 32-year-old came to an end shortly after face-to-face conversations with Jones produced an agreement on a raise.

As Jones indicated recently, the extra money given to Martin alters the spending power the team has when it comes time to negotiate new deals for other internal priorities. A number of players in that category – including, most notably, cornerback Trevon Diggs – have already inked an extension this offseason, but plenty more work remains in that regard. The likes of quarterback Dak Prescott, edge rusher Micah Parsons and wideout CeeDee Lamb will all be eligible for either a restructured pact or an extension next offseason.

“It’s going to be more difficult” Jones said, when asked about the effects of the Martin deal as it pertains to future financial commitments. “We have less money but that’s OK; we made [do with what] we don’t have. We put it to good use. It’s going to the right man” (h/t the Dallas News’ Calvin Watkins).

Martin will be counted on to remain amongst the league’s top O-linemen with his new deal in hand, especially given the cap spike (up to $28.5MM) it calls for in 2024. Lowering Prescott’s cap figure for that year – currently set at just under $59.5MM – and getting Parsons and Lamb on the books for the long-term future will be high on the team’s to-do list. In spite of the slightly increased challenge presented by the Martin agreement (and his own remarks foreshadowing it), Jones remains pleased with the Cowboys’ current financial situation.

“That is the point and that’s what I expressed,” he added. “The facts are, if somebody was going to get it, he’s the right kind [of player at] the right time, obviously he’s the right kind. It’s the right way to do it. I’m satisfied and I’m comfortable with it.”

Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown Suffers Torn ACL

August 20th, 2023 at 3:10pm CST by Rory Parks

3:10pm: Gehlken reports that Overshown has indeed torn his ACL (Twitter link). The news confirms the worst-case scenario, and that he will miss his entire rookie campaign. Overshown will now turn his attention to rehab ahead of an attempt to replicate his impressive showings next offseason, while the Cowboys may now find themselves on the market for a depth LB addition in the near future. Undrafted rookie tight end John Stephens also tore his ACL last night, per Gehlken.

8:28am: The Cowboys fear that third-round rookie linebacker DeMarvion Overshown tore his ACL during last night’s preseason loss to the Seahawks, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). The club will know the full extent of the damage after an MRI.

Overshown suffered the injury while making an open-field tackle of Seattle running back Zach Charbonnet during the first quarter of the game. An ACL tear, of course, would force him to miss the entirety of his first professional season, which would be an especially difficult blow given that he appeared ticketed for a significant role right out of the gate.

On paper, Dallas’ linebacking corps is the weakest part of its defense, so there was plenty of opportunity for Overshown to establish himself as at least a key rotational player and special teams contributor. He had put together an impressive training camp and was seen as an ascending talent.

“He was climbing. He was climbing the charts,” head coach Mike McCarthy said of Overshown after the game (Twitter link via Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). “He showed up right away in the offseason program, just his ability to fly around. Really has excellent command. So just hopeful. See how tomorrow goes.”

Leighton Vander Esch, who re-upped with the Cowboys on a two-year, $11MM contract in March, will likely operate as Dallas’ starter at middle linebacker (despite some recent run as an edge defender). Lining up next to him will be recent Day 3 draft choices Damone Clark (fifth round, 2022), Devin Harper (sixth round, 2022), and Jabril Cox (fourth round, 2021), all of whom will see an uptick in playing time if Overshown is indeed out for the year.

“You never want to see any of your guys get hurt, that’s what’s so tough about these preseason games,” McCarthy added (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News). “We had a couple of young guys go down, you say your prayers and hopefully the imaging points in the right direction. He’s had an incredible camp, we’ve talked about him almost every other day. I just hope he’s OK.”

Overshown, a Texas product, received First Team All-Big 12 acclaim following his final season with the Longhorns, a season in which he compiled 96 tackles (10 TFL), four sacks, and five passes defensed.

Latest On Zack Martin’s Reworked Deal

August 16th, 2023 at 12:04pm CST by Ben Levine

AUGUST 16: This reworking will come out to $36.85MM guaranteed for Martin over the next two seasons, Archer tweets. The Cowboys already restructured Martin’s deal this offseason, and after authorizing this significant guarantee bump, the team may need to address the contract again in 2024. While Martin’s 2023 cap number checks in at $11.75MM — up $710K from where it was coming into this week — Archer adds the All-Pro guard’s 2024 cap hit is now $28.5MM (Twitter link). To secure this payout, Martin incurred $850K in fines for his holdout.

AUGUST 15: Zack Martin‘s holdout came to an end yesterday, with the Cowboys inking the lineman to a revised contract. The two sides finally broke their impasse this past weekend, with ESPN’s Todd Archer writing that Martin’s meeting with Jerry Jones this past weekend helped bridge the gap.

[RELATED: Cowboys, Zack Martin Agree To Revised Deal]

“He was great,” Martin told Archer. “We were able to have that one-on-one time, and I think that helped, just being able to talk face-to-face. I think ultimately that’s what made me feel more comfortable and how he felt more comfortable and then we started talking about this and numbers and where we eventually headed.”

Jones made it pretty clear that a Martin raise wasn’t atop the front office’s list of priorities, but the owner/GM was apparently instrumental in getting the new pact over the finish line. While Martin is still in the midst of a six-year, $84MM deal that once made him the NFL’s highest-paid guard, he’ll now get $36MM in guaranteed money over the next two years vs. the $27.5MM he was set to make.

“I just think I’ve been here a long time. I’ve accomplished some great things but just felt like where I was in the market that it’s something that had been deserved and felt strongly about it,” said Martin. “Obviously it took a little time, but I’m super grateful to the Joneses. Once we started talking and having that connection we were able to figure something out that worked for both of us.”

It sounds like guaranteed money was always the holdup. Martin told reporters today that he wasn’t looking to reset the market at his position (per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News on Twitter). The veteran still ranks eighth at his position for average annual value, but his guaranteed money now ranks third (behind Chris Lindstrom and Quenton Nelson).

While Martin’s three-week absence has come to an end, the lineman will still have to wait for punishment regarding his holdout. As David Moore of the Dallas Morning News writes, the Cowboys are seeking clarification from the league office on whether the lineman will be fined for three off-days that took place during his absence. The Cowboys couldn’t forgive his $50K fines, meaning Martin is either facing punishment of $1M or $850K.

With Martin solidifying right guard, focus will shift to the other side of the line. As Moore writes in the same piece, the Cowboys feel good about Tyler Smith at LG despite the lineman having never played the position. However, the 2022 first-round pick could easily go back to his more natural OT position if Tyron Smith or Terence Steele suffer injuries.

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