Trey Lance, Chargers Reportedly Agree to Contract in Free Agency After Cowboys Stint

Former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance will get his next shot at competing for an NFL quarterback job with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Lance and the Chargers agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $6.2 million, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Lance, formerly projected as franchise quarterback with the San Francisco 49ers, ultimately lost his job to Brock Purdy. He was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in 2023 for a fourth-round pick.

After playing just eight games over two campaigns with the Niners, Lance went on to spend two seasons as a depth option for the Cowboys.

He saw regular-season playing time as a backup to Cooper Rush in 2024 after Dak Prescott was sidelined with a season-ending injury.

In his first start since his final season with the 49ers, Lance went 20-of-34 for 244 yards in a Week 18 loss to the Washington Commanders.

Lance said after the game that he believed he had grown "physically, mentally, and I know myself better as a person" since his last stint as an NFL starter, per DallasCowboys.com's Patrik Walker.

When asked what he was looking for with his next team, Lance answered, "an opportunity."

"That's the biggest thing. Just looking for an opportunity," Lance said, per Chris Amaya of the Dallas Morning News.

The Cowboys expect to get Prescott back for the 2025 season. Given that Prescott is signed through 2028, Dallas is hoping to stick with its franchise quarterback going forward. Meanwhile, Los Angeles could consider the flashes of talent Lance displayed in his last start a sign that he could develop into more than a QB3 option.

Lance will now vie to become Justin Herbert's primary backup in L.A. in 2025. His audition could take place in the preseason, during which time he spent extensive time playing for the Cowboys last fall.