3 emergency Trey Lance trades for Cowboys to cash in on his value now

Perhaps the most important development from the Dallas Cowboys preseason win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday night came at the quarterback position, where Trey Lance played the vast majority of the game and impressed both coaches and pundits alike. Lance completed 15-of-23 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown. Lance also ran for 34 yards and another score.

Preseason results should always be taken with a grain of salt, but for developmental projects like Lance, they're typically the only game action they get to prove themselves on a national level. Lance is not the Cowboys Plan A or even Plan B at the position, as Cooper Rush has proven himself more than capable backing up Dak Prescott. With a Prescott contract extension (hopefully) looming, trading Lance for draft capital makes more sense for Dallas as his trade value ascends.

Lance would be an immediate upgrade for several QB-needy teams looking for more depth at the position. He's proven himself as a backup-caliber passer, at the very least. For Dallas, the time is nearing to cash in.

3. Cowboys could trade Trey Lance to the Las Vegas Raiders

FanSided's John Buhler listed Lance as a plausible solution to the Raiders quarterback conundrum. Lance was the best quarterback on the field Saturday night, as both Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew performed so poorly than Antonio Pierce couldn't name a starting QB in his postgame presser, which was his goal entering the week.

Here is the trade package Buhler laid out for Lance.

As Buhler noted, Lance may be a bit out of the Raiders price range, and they could be more inclined to roll with their current crop. If it doesn't work out, Vegas could always select a quarterback in next year's NFL Draft. However, if Pierce actually plans on winning this season, adding another promising prospect to the QB room couldn't hurt matters.

2. The Packers could add Trey Lance to back up Jordan Love

Sean Clifford ain't it, Green Bay. I'm not sure how many times I have to say it, but the Packers are determined to prove me wrong. Clifford has struggled this preseason, so much so that rookie Michael Pratt from Tulane has a chance to beat him up for the backup job. But not on my watch!

Rather than rolling with another rookie to back up Love (which was the case with Clifford last season), Green Bay could trade for Lance, who has a similar skill-set, albeit without the regular-season productivity to back it up. If Love were to go down, the Packers wouldn't have to change around the offense much with Lance.

Again, the price tag here is very similar. Given the Packers are a fellow NFC contender which just defeated Dallas in the postseason last year, any trade is risky. However, Lance wouldn't lead the Packers to postseason glory anytime soon. He's a stopgap at best if Love goes down.

He's just better than Clifford.

1. Vikings could trade for local product Trey Lance after JJ McCarthy injury

The Vikings don't need to trade for another quarterback, necessarily. As we noted Sunday morning, Nick Mullens seems like a fine backup for a team in transition, anyhow. However, if Kevin O'Connell has any intent on competing for a playoff spot this season, they shouldn't head into the year with Sam Darnold and Mullens as their plan at QB.

This trade, first pitched by FanSided's Zach Pressnell, includes a hefty return given the perceived desperation around the Vikings practice facility at the moment. McCarthy showcased his skillset in Minnesota's first preseason game, so much so that some were calling for him to start over Darnold right away.

The Vikings plan was always to have Darnold start the season. That won't change, even if they acquire Lance. However, it does provide O'Connell with a better backup just in case Darnold shrinks in the moment. Heck, Darnold hasn't done much in his brief NFL career to show he's anything but a first-round draft bust. That may sound mean, but it's true until proven otherwise.

Lance provides mobility and opens the playbook more than Darnold and Mullens, period. He is the kind of player who, should he ever reach his potential and remain healthy over the course of a full season, can be a diamond in the rough.

McCarthy just suffered a major knee injury, and a return to form is no guarantee, either. The Vikings can't go wrong with a little insurance.