Dak Prescott has mixed emotions on Cowboys trade for Trey Lance

Dak Prescott has a new backup, and the veteran quarterback has some mixed emotions about it.

The Dallas Cowboys on Saturday traded a fourth-round draft pick to the San Francisco 49ers for Trey Lance. After the Cowboys’ preseason finale later that day, Prescott was asked for his thoughts on the move. He said he feels bad for teammate Will Grier, who lost his job with the acquisition of Lance.

“Honestly right now, my heart and my mind is with Will. So it’s a tough situation, honestly,” Prescott said, via ESPN’s Todd Archer. “Love that guy to death over there. Plays his a– off, comes in, prepares the right way each and every day.”

Prescott was also asked if Cowboys owner Jerry Jones let him know ahead of time that the Lance trade was coming. He said he was not given advanced notice and did not expect it.

“I can’t say that I necessarily expected [a heads-up], no,” Prescott said. “I understand though that that’s business. I understand that they’re probably on a timeline, they need to get something done. He felt like that strengthened this team and, yeah, ready to welcome [Lance] and, yeah, I mean knowing the strength of the quarterback room that we have.”

Many have wondered why the Cowboys would give up a valuable draft pick for Lance. Jones offered an honest take on what the team is hoping to get out of Lance in the short term.

Prescott is under contract through 2024, and the Cowboys insist they intend to sign him to an extension. That leaves Lance as an insurance option, but Dallas must believe the 23-year-old has the potential to contribute.