The San Francisco 49ers traded Trey Lance, who they once traded three first-round picks to acquire, to the Dallas Cowboys for a fourth-round pick Friday night, ESPN’s Adam Schefter announced on Twitter.
Trade: 49ers are sending their former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance to the Dallas Cowboys for a mid-round, per sources. Lance now gets a fresh start in Dallas. pic.twitter.com/UxKNpljktv
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 25, 2023
The 49ers took Lance with the 3rd selection 0f the 2021 draft after trading three first round picks to the Miami Dolphins to move up. The Dolphins would turn those picks into star receiver Tyreek Hill and dominant edge rusher Bradley Chubb, both of whom they traded for. They used the final pick to draft receiver Jaylen Waddle, who made the AP All-Rookie Team in 2021 and has racked up over 2300 yards in his two-year pro career. (RELATED: The Miami Dolphins Have The Best 1-2 Punch In The Entire NFL, And It Could Lead Them To A Super Bowl)
Despite spending massive draft capital on him, the 49ers decided to move on from him after he couldn’t beat out journeyman Sam Darnold for the backup job.
The move sent waves through the sports world, prompting reactions from both retired and active players.
Former 2nd overall pick and Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III tweeted that the move cemented the 2021 trade as “THE WORST DRAFT DAY MOVE OF ALL TIME.”
He also said the only reason Head Coach Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch weren’t fired as a result is because “they hit on the last pick of last year’s draft” in Brock Purdy. Purdy, a quarterback, was chosen with the final pick of last year’s draft, an honor that earns him the nickname “Mr. Irrelevant.”
Free agent linebacker and popular podcaster Will Compton disagreed with Griffin III on Instagram, saying “Yes they made a bad draft pick in Trey Lance. They gave up three first round picks, that’s a tough loss for anybody. However, the team that traded three first-round picks… also went to the NFC Championship without that quarterback.”