SANTA CLARA — Trey Lance’s 49ers tenure did not work out.
That much was obvious. And 49ers general manager John Lynch on Friday night addressed the trade of Lance, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, to the Dallas Cowboys.
“Yeah, (it’s) really a hard day,” Lynch said on the KPIX-TV broadcast of the 49ers’ preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers. “(Lance is) such a wonderful young man.
“We took a shot and it didn’t work out. We own that. We take accountability for that.”
A few hours before kickoff Friday, the 49ers traded Lance to the Cowboys for a 2024 fourth-round draft pick.
Although Lance never got much of a chance with the 49ers and tumbled down the team’s depth chart this summer, Lynch said he believes Lance, 23, has time to salvage an NFL career.
“I think his story is very much unwritten,” Lynch said. “I’m excited for Trey. Dallas stepped up and really wanted him. They came after him. I think it’s going to be a great landing spot for him.”
Lance was the starting quarterback a year ago to open the 2022 NFL season. But he lasted less than five quarters before sustaining a season-ending leg injury. Lance never got another chance to run with the starters because Brock Purdy stepped up last season and won the job as the team’s permanent starters.
“I can tell everybody it wasn’t for lack of effort on Trey’s part or on our part that it didn’t work,” Lynch said. “Circumstances took hold, and he struggled through injuries, and this team is ready to win.
“We like our quarterback room. We like Brock Purdy a lot, we like Sam Darnold, and we like Brandon Allen.”
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Lance joins a Cowboys team with a current quarterback room consisting of starter Dak Prescott, backup Cooper Rush and third-stringer Will Grier.
“We wish Trey all the best in Dallas,” Lynch said, “and we’ll always care about that young man and admire his work ethic and the person that he is.”
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