Is Trey Lance disappointing in first full training camp with Cowboys?

Some have suggested that certain individuals within the Dallas Cowboys may view backup quarterback Trey Lance as an eventual replacement for starter Dak Prescott as Prescott remains on track to reach free agency after the upcoming season.

Lance hasn’t yet faced a real opposing defense this summer but seemingly has yet to light the world on fire with his training camp performances.

“While we’ve been able to watch him in practice situations, it’ll be interesting to see how he performs in the Cowboys’ offense in live action,” The Athletic’s Jon Machota said Wednesday about Lance receiving “a lot” of preseason snaps beginning with this Sunday’s exhibition game at the Los Angeles Rams. “Lance has been up and down during camp practices. He really hasn’t done anything to make you think he would help the Cowboys win more games than No. 2 Cooper Rush if Dak Prescott went down. But that could change if Lance plays well in preseason games.”

The Cowboys acquired Lance from the San Francisco 49ers for a 2024 fourth-round draft pick in late August of last year and then stashed him on the roster as an unused backup for the equivalent of a redshirt season. Lance turned just 24 years old this past spring and the third pick of the 2021 draft has made just four regular-season starts at the highest level.

Dallas declined the fifth-year option for 2025 attached to Lance’s rookie contract earlier this year, but it’s worth noting that there is no sign that Prescott will offer team owner and general manager Jerry Jones any type of discount during contract negotiations before the upcoming season gets underway in September. It sounds like Lance could give Jones something to think about by playing well against second- and third-team defenses this month.

“Remember,” Machota added, “Prescott didn’t exactly lock up an eventual starting spot his rookie year (2016) because of what he did in camp. It was how well he played in the preseason.”

With that said, Jones and Co. should have all the information they need about Lance if the fourth-year pro can’t defeat Rush — a 30-year-old career backup — in a competition for the QB2 job through Dallas’ preseason finale versus the Los Angeles Chargers on Aug. 24.