Dec 24, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Trey Lance (15) throws the football prior to the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports.
An annual Minnesota Vikings-themed tradition is back.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Trey Lance joined the NFL in 2021, and since his career began to wobble off track, folks have linked him to the Vikings primarily because he was born in Minnesota.
And thanks to CBS Sports, the tradition is alive and well. Cody Benjamin published an article detailing the league’s top trade candidates and possible landing spots, and the Vikings were on the shortlist for Lance.
“The luster has worn off Lance quite a bit in recent years, with the former No. 3 overall draft pick struggling to secure the top backup job for the Dallas Cowboys. Still, at just 24, the ex-San Francisco 49ers prospect possesses long-term upside that could intrigue needier teams at the position,” Benjamin wrote about the 24-year-old quarterback.
Lance is currently the Cowboys’ QB3 behind Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush.
Benjamin named-dropped the Vikings as a trade destination for Lance and added, “Dallas might just as well retain him with Dak Prescott entering a contract year, but considering the Cowboys are also letting Lance play out his rookie deal, it’s possible they’ve already seen enough.”
Why would Minnesota need a quarterback? After all, it employs Sam Darnold, Nick Mullens, Jaren Hall, and Matt Corral on the depth chart even after rookie passer J.J. McCarthy was lost for the season last week. Simple — the team is one Darnold injury away from further quarterback chaos. One year ago, Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles, and the purple team’s season quickly derailed with a quarterback carousel featuring Mullens, Hall, and former Viking Joshua Dobbs.
The club might want an additional insurance policy for Darnold. CBS Sports claims Lance could be the guy.
For now, the Vikings are fully committed to Darnold and will likely pivot to McCarthy as QB1 in 2025, but Lance would indeed be a name to monitor via trade if Darnold encountered a season-ending injury. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah doesn’t have too much trade capital via draft picks, but Lance wouldn’t be too expensive if a trade agreement arose.
The former third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has started just four games in the NFL, mostly because injuries shattered the beginning of his once-promising career. He hasn’t consistently started games anywhere in five years — the last time was at North Dakota State in 2019.
CBS Sports also mentioned the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami Dolphins as possible landing spots for Lance.
The NFL’s regular season begins in 16 days.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.