Allen Park — Prior to the Dallas Cowboys trading for former No. 3 pick Trey Lance this week, the Detroit Lions were reported to be among a small group of teams that showed interest in the quarterback. But Lions general manager Brad Holmes went out of his way to shoot down that rumor during a press conference at the team’s practice facility on Friday.
“It’s always my job to turn over every stone,” Holmes said. “There are so many players that are discussed within the league that aren’t reported on, interest here or there. The Trey Lance thing, in particular, I never reached out, never inquired about the player or anything. I think the report was us and some other teams were in that group of being interested, but I never actively pursued the player.”
Lance had fallen down the depth chart and out of favor in San Francisco, two years after the team gave up three first-round picks to move up the board to select the former North Dakota State standout. After playing sparingly as a rookie behind starter Jimmy Garoppolo, Lance opened last season as San Francisco’s starter, but suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2. Brock Purdy eventually moved into the starting role for the 49ers and seized hold of the job, putting Lance’s future with the franchise in question.
After Lance was beat out by Sam Darnold to back up Purdy this offseason, the young quarterback was put on the trade block. The Cowboys gave up a fourth-round pick to complete the deal.
The Lions’ reported interest made little sense, given Lance would have been the third-string option on Detroit’s depth chart, behind starter Jared Goff and veteran backup Teddy Bridgewater. Additionally, the team invested a third-round pick in Hendon Hooker this offseason as a developmental backup option behind Goff.
Hooker is currently on the non-football injury list, as he recovers from a torn ACL he suffered last year while playing for the University of Tennessee.
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