QB Trey Lance moves on from Dallas, signs 1-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Quarterback Trey Lance agreed to a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday.

Lance spent the past two years with the Dallas Cowboys after playing his first two NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, who infamously selected him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 draft out of North Dakota State.

Lance has yet to live up to his enormous potential, but Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh will get a chance to mold the quarterback while he trains alongside Taylor Heinecke as the backups to Justin Herbert.

Lance, who turns 25 next month, is still younger than high-profile 2024 rookie quarterbacks Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix — but Lance has yet to play extensively in the NFL despite his lofty draft position.

He got injured in his second season with the Niners and couldn’t beat out Jimmy Garoppolo or Brock Purdy for their starting job, compelling San Francisco to move on from its high-risk selection after just two years. Lance then didn’t take a snap for Dallas in 2023 before playing occasionally and even starting the Cowboys’ season finale last year.

Lance has started five games in his four-year career, passing for 1,063 yards and five TDs with four interceptions.

Three weeks ago, the Bolts re-signed Heinecke, who appeared in four games last season as Herbert’s primary backup.

The Chargers have not re-signed Easton Stick, who was a backup quarterback on their roster for the previous six seasons. Stick appeared in six games during his tenure and even made four starts late in the 2023 season when Herbert was sidelined with a broken finger.

Herbert has been a durable quarterback so far in his impressive career, but he played through several significant injuries last season despite not missing a game.

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