Who Should I Start? Trey Lance or Mac Jones

Wednesday, May 1, 8:55 PM

The Dallas Cowboys will decline to pick up the fifth-year option on quarterback Trey Lance, according to a source. The move isn't a surprise at all after the decision was essentially made last August when Dallas acquired him from the San Francisco 49ers for a 2024 fourth-round pick. Lance's 2025 option would have cost the Cowboys a fully guaranteed $22.4 million. The Cowboys don't have a QB on their roster signed beyond the 2024 season, with Dak Prescott, Lance and Cooper Rush all set for unrestricted free agency next March. They cannot use the franchise tag on Prescott and haven't started serious talks on an extension. Lance will make $5.31 million in base salary in 2024 as part of the fully guaranteed, $34.1 million deal he signed with the Niners as the third overall pick in 2021. Dallas liked the progress Lance made in 2023, but he was inactive for every game.

Friday, May 3, 2:28 PM

Unsurprisingly, the Jacksonville Jaguars didn't pick up the fifth-year option on new quarterback Mac Jones, who the team acquired in a trade with the New England Patriots this offseason. Jones was New England's first-round pick in 2021 but failed to make an impact as their starter under center. He went to the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2021 but was merely a replacement player. Jones started all 42 games that he played for the Patriots, but the team went 4-13 in 2023 and Jones found himself on the bench for the final six games. The 25-year-old from Alabama regressed in each of his three seasons in Boston, but it didn't help that the Patriots were constantly bringing in new offensive coaches during his time there. Now in Jacksonville, Jones will operate as the clear backup to Trevor Lawrence in 2024.