Cowboys 2023 Offseason Thread

[dbair1967]

If we don't get anything done this year I seriously don't see us giving him a big extension.

This

 

[dbair1967]

I'll further add that we shouldn't pay the salary for the 3rd player selected in the draft to have him be the 3rd string QB. He has to be number 2. He has to be developed. There has to be hope that we can use him as leverage for when Dak comes with his hand stretched out again.

IMHO, paying the salary of the 3rd player drafted to put him behind Cooper Rush is damn idiotic!

Gee you think?

 

[dbair1967]

But his dead cap is $6,250,714. Did we absorb that part of the contract? Do we have to keep him even if he sucks.

The Niners eat the dead cap space for this yr.

We truly only have to pay his 940k salary for this year. Next yr his salary is 1.055 million and he has a roster bonus of 4.255 million, both of which are guaranteed. His cap hit in total is 5.3 million.

We also still have the 5th yr option we can use on him.

 

[dbair1967]

This was written after last weeks preseason game:

Loading…

www.si.com

The Biggest Takeaway From Trey Lance's Preseason Performance vs. Denver​

Trey Lance has been in dire need of reps since entering the league after barely seeing the field the past few seasons One could argue that Sunday's outing against the Broncos was the best the former third-overall pick has ever looked at the NFL level.

• CHRIS POLO
• AUG 20, 2023 10:14 PM EDT

Trey Lance put together a statement performance as he led the 49ers to a walk-off victory over the Denver Broncos in their second preseason match of the 2023 campaign.

The quarterback room has always been the main topic of discussion regarding the San Francisco 49ers since Kyle Shanahan became the head coach. Shanahan has yet to find his guy who can bring them a Lombardi Trophy. The 49ers drafted Lance in hopes he would be their franchise QB, yet he has started only four games since being drafted in 2021. His future in San Francisco is in more jeopardy than ever due to Brock Purdy's remarkable run last season as the starter, which has solidified him as their starting QB to enter the season.

For Trey Lance, it is more important than ever that he capitalizes on the opportunities he is presented with. He has made clear improvements to his throwing mechanics and made strides in camp, but nothing tops in-game reps where he has been inconsistent. With Purdy still building his arm strength back up from his UCL surgery, there has never been more anticipation to see Lance play in the preseason.

In San Francisco's first preseason outing against the Raiders, Lance got the start and played the first half. It was challenging to evaluate Lance as an individual due to an abysmal performance by the offensive line. That said, Lance started slow, then got in rhythm as the game continued. Overall that performance wasn't bad, but nothing close to good enough to consider moving him on the depth chart.

This past Sunday, the 49ers faced off against the Broncos. Purdy started, and Darnold got a chunk of the first half in a role reversal with Lance. Again, Lance started slower. He threw an early interception while attempting a screen pass, but this was the turning point that led to the biggest takeaway from what was arguably Lance's best performance. It was Lance's response to his own mistake that was the eye-opener.

Immediately after throwing the interception, Lance threw a dart over the middle of the field and looked progressively more comfortable the rest of the game. Late in the fourth quarter, Lance would lead the 49ers to back-to-back scoring drives, which included a stretch of six straight completions. During these sequences, Lance showed great poise in the pocket, keeping his eyes downfield and escaping pressure while also looking to make plays with his arm rather than his legs.

He seemed to process well and looked much more confident in letting it rip anywhere on the field to keep moving the chains. He seemed very comfortable operating the middle of the field and working the quick game, which has been the staple of the Shanahan passing game. To cap off the first late score, Lance delivered a deep touchdown pass to rookie tight-end Cameron Latu over the seam late in the fourth quarter.

Down by two points, the 49ers defense gave the offense another shot to score and win the game. With a chance at a two-minute drill, Lance completed two passes to rookie wideout Ronnie Bell, who also had a tremendous game. The first throw to Bell accrued a good chunk of yards after the catch, which is typical of the Shanahan offense. The next pass to Bell was down the middle of the field, which was an essential play in putting rookie kicker Jake Moody in field goal range to ice the game as the Niners celebrated their younger guys securing a win.

Lance finished the game with a final box score of 173 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception while completing 12 of his 18 pass attempts. Another bounce-back response that flew under the radar was his ability to avoid pressure. Lance was sacked four times in one half against Las Vegas the week prior. He didn't take a single sack against Denver.

It is becoming more evident every week that the main issue with Lance is simply a lack of reps. Perhaps if Shanahan wasn't as hesitant in 2021 to start the guy he traded up for, this could be a much more enticing competition, as Lance would probably look like a different quarterback. Instead, with how his development has been handled, it is almost like Lance is a third-year rookie that Shanahan sometimes doesn't even want.

While no preseason performance would ever be enough for anyone to supplant Purdy on the depth chart, it was very positive to see Lance's ability to bounce back from a mistake and lead the offense in a way the fans have not been able to see aside from the Week 17 victory over the Texans in his rookie year.

Lance showed he could be a very viable backup to Purdy at worst. And if he has no future in San Francisco, his efforts against Denver may have boosted his trade value for any teams who lose a starter early in the season.

 

[dbair1967]

This is from last week's game. The arm strength is very noticeable.

 

[Dodger12]

Am I the only one who thought that given that he was playing with backups that Will Grier was doing a decent job?

Grier's dead cap is ZERO, so he is GONE!

I liked Grier in college until he sat out WV's bowl game like he was going to be some premium 1st round pick. That never translates in the NFL. I get that you don't want to get hurt. But I also think you're the team leader (or should be) and you have to carry your team.

 

[Dodger12]

Am I the only one who thought that given that he was playing with backups that Will Grier was doing a decent job?

Grier's dead cap is ZERO, so he is GONE!

And just to add....Grier is a scrub with little arm talent. I'd take Lance over Grier for the #3 backup but that's not saying much.

 

[bbgun]

The only thing Jerry didn't overpay for was the team.

 

[Maveric]

I was at the football game in the part of the stands with bad service when this broke, so I didn't have the chance to throw my two cents in until now...
Trey Lance doesn't impress me a ton, never has. Everyone around here was falling all over him just because he went to a college that is relatively close, but I was never all in on him. Don't get me wrong, he's got talent. In the right circumstances he could have been an above average starter, might still be again someday. But that day is likely 2-3 years down the road at least. Right now he's a number three quarterback with at times flashy potential. This move wasn't to solidfy a Super Bowl run, or to put Dak or Rush on notice. This was to put the Cowboys and Jerry Jones at the front of the headlines, simple as that.

 

[dbair1967]

I was at the football game in the part of the stands with bad service when this broke, so I didn't have the chance to throw my two cents in until now...
Trey Lance doesn't impress me a ton, never has. Everyone around here was falling all over him just because he went to a college that is relatively close, but I was never all in on him. Don't get me wrong, he's got talent. In the right circumstances he could have been an above average starter, might still be again someday. But that day is likely 2-3 years down the road at least. Right now he's a number three quarterback with at times flashy potential. This move wasn't to solidfy a Super Bowl run, or to put Dak or Rush on notice. This was to put the Cowboys and Jerry Jones at the front of the headlines, simple as that.

Calling complete BS on that.

The Cowboys are ALWAYS going to be THE headlines, trading for a 3rd team QB that another team gave up on does absolutely nothing to put them "at the front of the headlines" nor did they need to make that kind of move to stay "at the front of the headlines"

This was a fairly smart trade. They didn't give up a lot of a guy that has a lot of physical talent and excellent size and arm strength. He WAS very good at N Dakota St. He has shown some flashes in his 2+ seasons but he has been hurt a lot. He just turned 23. He won't be expected to do much (if anything) this year but sit and learn. Maybe he learns the playbook and moves past Rush later in the season. This move was designed for the future and knowing we have a monster deal awaiting on the QB already here, who has not shown he can't get the team over the hump yet.

 

[dbair1967]

 

[Scot]

Before the Trey Lance trade Will Grier was notified by the team that he will no longer be a Cowboy moving forward

AND

He was informed that he would be starting and playing all four quarters vs the Raiders today

Talk about a kick in the nuts


Well Will Grier, this is the biggest job interview of your life kid! Make the most of it.

 

[dbair1967]

 

[dbair1967]

Before the Trey Lance trade Will Grier was notified by the team that he will no longer be a Cowboy moving forward

AND

He was informed that he would be starting and playing all four quarters vs the Raiders today

Talk about a kick in the nuts


Well Will Grier, this is the biggest job interview of your life kid! Make the most of it.

Oh well. Happens every yr in preseason with players. They get stuck playing all or most of the last game and know they have little (if any) real chance of making that teams roster.

The fact of the matter with Grier is he just hasn't shown much of anything. He isn't a NFL QB.

 

[dbair1967]

 

[Aggiepride]

And just to add....Grier is a scrub with little arm talent. I'd take Lance over Grier for the #3 backup but that's not saying much.

Look at their completion percentage. Lance's is with starters. Grier's is with backups. Grier has a higher completion percentage.

Lance's completion percentage 54.9. Grier's was 71.4 (preseason).

Trey Lance trade grades: Cowboys get new backup QB, 49ers part ways with former No. 3 pick for fourth-rounder

San Fran recoups a mid-round draft pick after trading a haul for Lance

www.cbssports.com

Cowboys release Will Grier: Bengals signing QB to practice squad after stellar preseason, per report

Grier's big preseason earned him a spot in Cincinnati

www.cbssports.com

Look at the salary. It's not just 940k. That dead cap number transfers. I'm pretty sure (could be wrong) so if Lance bombs the Cowboys can't cut him, which means a roster spot is wasted.

Trey Lance

Trey Lance contract and salary cap details, full contract breakdowns, salaries, signing bonus, roster bonus, dead money, and valuations.

www.spotrac.com

So, if he sucks bad enough he can still be cut, but that's a decent chunk of change that makes it a harder decision to cut the guy.

And I'm not saying Lance is better or Grier is better. I'm saying that I don't think Grier did that bad. His arm is at least as good as Rush's.

AND, if we weren't happy with our backup QB situation then THAT should have been identified MUCH SOONER and we could have maybe signed Sam Darnold (or fill in the blank) and NOT given up a 4th round pick.

 

[Doomsday]

He won't be expected to do much (if anything) this year but sit and learn. Maybe he learns the playbook and moves past Rush later in the season

Perhaps he gives us some pointers on the 49ers offense as well?

 

[Aggiepride]

Before the Trey Lance trade Will Grier was notified by the team that he will no longer be a Cowboy moving forward

AND

He was informed that he would be starting and playing all four quarters vs the Raiders today

Talk about a kick in the nuts


Well Will Grier, this is the biggest job interview of your life kid! Make the most of it.

Well, I hope he gets to play with some starters. Everyone will handicap their own way. I don't think 3rd stringers get a lot of reps in practice. It's a brand new system and he is thrown out there with backups. Yet his completion percentage was in the low 70s. Meanwhile, Trey Lance played with starters, got all the reps last year (every chance to be the man), and had a completion percentage of 55.

I don't have anything against Trey Lance. What I have "against" is our GM should have identified a need far far earlier and we should have made a play for a QB in free agency and NOT given up a 4th round pick, which could be a really good player, or we could draft a QB next year with that 4th round pick.

Aidan O'Connell was available this year in round 4. Round 3 had plenty of possibilities.

So GMs are paid the big bucks to make the right call. THE ENTIRE PLANET knows that QB is the most important position on the team. The trade means Jerry didn't properly assess the QB room during free agency and the draft.

We drafted Fehoko in round 4 while our DL is a strength already.

 

[Aggiepride]

Perhaps he gives us some pointers on the 49ers offense as well?

This is a guy who was the THRID PLAYER TAKEN in the draft and the Niners gave up 3 number 1 picks for. He got every opportunity possible to be "the man" in San Fran. Every snap possible.

Then Brock Purdy comes in with 3rd string reps and plays lights out.

What exactly is it that he has to learn? I read comments like "Dak is the perfect player to mentor under". Has nobody figured out yet that Dak is about Dak and his wallet?

Dak isn't going to mentor anyone to help him take his job.

 

[dbair1967]

This is a guy who was the THRID PLAYER TAKEN in the draft and the Niners gave up 3 number 1 picks for. He got every opportunity possible to be "the man" in San Fran. Every snap possible.

Then Brock Purdy comes in with 3rd string reps and plays lights out.

Purdy didnt win the job last yr, you know that right?

He ended up on the field after Lance and Garrapolo both got hurt.