Heading into the offseason, Dallas Cowboys fans wanted the team to draft a rookie quarterback who could be the backup behind starter Dak Prescott, especially with Cooper Rush and Trey Lance being free agents.

However, the Cowboys decided to take a different route to solve their backup QB dilemma, as they acquired second-year quarterback Joe Milton III in a trade from the New England Patriots weeks before the 2025 NFL Draft.

It was an under-the-radar move by the Cowboys, who saw Rush sign a two-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens, while Lance signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers. In a perfect world, the Cowboys would’ve loved to see Lance be the QB2 this upcoming season.

That said, Lance didn’t make the most of the opportunities he received in Dallas. And it took a while for him to land the one-year deal with the Chargers, where he has competition in the QB room with Taylor Heinicke and UDFA DJ Uiagalelei.

Based on his skills and upside, Lance should be the QB2 by the time preseason ends. But if things do not pan out for the ex-Cowboys, he does have another pro football opportunity waiting for him.

Ex-Cowboys QB Trey Lance Added to CFL’s Negotiation List

On Wednesday, the CFL unveiled its negotiation list publicly for the first time. The nine teams in the CFL are allowed to have 45 players on their negotiation list, who are currently unsigned or playing in the NFL, college football, or in another league.

Lance was officially added to the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ negotiation list. In late March, TSN’s Dave Naylor initially reported that the ex-Cowboys QB was added to their negotiation list.

The Roughriders receive exclusive negotiations first with former Dallas QB unless they trade his rights to another team. He wasn’t the only former Dallas QB that saw his name pop up on the negotiation list, as Ben DiNucci appeared on the BC Lions list.

As one can imagine, Lance will exhaust all his options in the NFL before possibly heading to the CFL. That said, Lance’s dual-threat ability from under center makes him an intriguing prospect to play in the second-best league globally.

However, the former Cowboys signal-caller is likely determined to prove that he can win the QB2 in LA and show he has improved from his Week 18 performance against the Commanders.