Dak Prescott injury news opens door for former 49ers draft bust to get a chance

With Cowboys QB Dak Prescott poised to miss multiple weeks, Trey Lance finally has a shot to redeem himself after going bust with the 49ers.

In hindsight, the San Francisco 49ers never should have moved up to No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft to select quarterback Trey Lance.

But, the Niners did precisely that, tried to make it work over two-plus years and then finally pulled the plug in 2023 by trading him away to the Dallas Cowboys in favor of starting Brock Purdy under center, getting a fourth-round pick back in exchange.

A massive loss on investment? Absolutely. However, at least San Francisco wiped its hands clean of the failed experiment.

Since then, Lance has wallowed in the shadows as Dallas' third-string quarterback behind Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush, although the former received some attention last offseason (although it wasn't exactly pretty).

On the surface, Lance's prospects for meaningful action were no better with the Cowboys than they were with the 49ers.

However, the context has dramatically changed in a short amount of time, thanks largely to recent news on Prescott.

Dak Prescott to miss multiple weeks with hamstring issue, could Trey Lance take advantage?

Prescott suffered a hamstring injury during Dallas' embarrassing Week 9 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, one that reports suggest could sideline the league's highest-paid quarterback for "multiple weeks."

Whether or not Prescott winds up on injured reserve is irrelevant at this point. What matters is the fact the starting job in Dallas is up for grabs.

On the surface, based on the Cowboys depth chart, Rush would be the go-to option for head coach Mike McCarthy.

But Rush is plagued by the adage and reputation of "you know what you get" in terms of being a career backup.

Lance, despite his previous flameouts, is still young and has that "potential" factor often associated with young payers who were drafted high but still haven't amounted to much.

So, not surprisingly, there are calls for Lance to emerge as QB1 in the wake of Prescott's injury, especially with Dallas' season heading south fast amid 3-5 start to the season.

The Niners, of course, played a role in the Cowboys' sink to the lower ranks of the NFC, defeating them back in Week 8.

However, considering the attention Lance still receives as a not-so-long-ago San Francisco draft bust, fans out in the Bay Area will continue paying attention to how well (or not so well) things go for the former No. 3 overall draft pick.

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