3 Reasons QB Trey Lance Making 53-Man Roster - No 'Surprise'

The possibility of Trey Lance being traded still exists; don't let the misunderstanding or misinformation peddled from "casuals'' persuade you to think otherwise.

The possibility of the Dallas Cowboys keeping their third-string QB on the 53-man roster come September? That's always been more than a "possibility.''

And don't let the "casuals'' mislead you there, either.

Team owner Jerry Jones on Tuesday attached actual front-office words to what's always been obvious, all but guaranteeing Lance's spot on the Cowboys 53-man roster with the NFL's August 27 roster cut deadline looming.

“Do I need to see any more from Trey Lance?" Jones said. "Can we stop there? And the answer is yes. Yes. He’s going to be on the 53.”

As a result of this, some media outlets are now speculating that Lance won't be traded, ignorant to the fact that one issue has nothing to do with the other.

There are three reasons that Lance was always slated to make this team as at least one of the backups to Dak Prescott. To wit ...

Related: Can Trey Lance's Running Ability Beat Out Cooper Rush?

1. He was the No. 3 pick in the NFL Draft and he's a 24-year-old who is showing improvement in his preseason work. The Cowboys do not know how high his ceiling is, and feel obliged to find out.

2. Dallas a year ago traded a fourth-round pick for him knowing he's out of contract after 2025. If a guy can't play a lick or is a bad egg, fine, cut him. Otherwise? Few teams want the egg on their face that would result from the admission that would come with a release.

3. He's got a $5.3 million guaranteed contract for 2024. Few teams would ever cut this player with that contract.

So really, nothing's changed. If a team wants to trade for Lance, Dallas will listen. Otherwise, they will continue to develop him, possible cut No. 2 QB Cooper Rush (believing that he'll slide through waivers more easily than Lance will) and then re-sign Rush ... setting up a season-long competition between Rush and Lance for emergency playing time behind Dak.

Things can change. But this is the plan. And it's always been the plan.