Almost three years have passed since the San Francisco 49ers boldly traded up to select quarterback Trey Lance with the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft. In that time, he has played in just eight games while completing 56 passes. Lance’s career is defined by injuries and hypothetical scenarios. But it’s not over yet. This reclamation project will remain under development with the Dallas Cowboys.

At least for now. The organization is picking up Lance’s $4.25 million roster bonus, according to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones traded a 2024 fourth-rounder for the two-time FCS champion ahead of this past season, seeing him as an intriguing buy-low option and possible injury insurance policy.

Dak Prescott did not miss a game and produced the best statistical season of his eight-year career (4,516 passing yards, 38 total touchdowns and only nine interceptions). That left little opportunities for any other Dallas signal-caller, with backup Cooper Rush logging just 24 pass attempts and third-stringer Lance not taking a single snap last year.

There is not going to be a change at the top of the depth chart, as Prescott seems primed for a historic contract extension sooner rather than later. But Lance can make headway during the offseason and training camp. He is only 23 years of age and thus has time to earn back trust from the rest of the league.

The value of mobile quarterbacks continues to rise, so Trey Lance can still clear a path for himself to compete for an NFL starting job in the future. The first step towards achieving that difficult goal will be staying healthy. The road ahead is perilous, but this former highly-coveted prospect should take pride in the fact that the Cowboys are not giving up on him.