Getty The Dallas Cowboys were interested in Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell in the 2023 NFL draft.
The Dallas Cowboys ultimately traded for Trey Lance, but the front office had their eyes on several quarterback prospects heading into the 2023 NFL draft. ESPN’s Todd Archer reported the Cowboys were targeting Aidan O’Connell (drafted by the Raiders), Jake Haener (selected by Saints) and Clayton Tune (drafted by Cardinals), but the team did not end up landing a signal-caller in the draft.
“In April’s draft, the Cowboys wanted to add a developmental quarterback,” Archer wrote on October 4, 2023. “Among their targets was Purdue’s Aidan O’Connell, who went to the Las Vegas Raiders six picks after the Cowboys took defensive lineman Viliami Fehoko Jr. at No. 129 overall in the fourth round. They also had interest in Fresno State’s Jake Haener (No. 127, New Orleans Saints) and Houston’s Clayton Tune (No. 139, Arizona Cardinals).
“In the Cowboys’ eyes, a fourth-round pick in 2024 for Lance was worth the cost. Sources said they had a second-round grade on Lance in 2021.”
Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones: Trey Lance ‘Is an Outstanding Prospect’
The fact that Dallas opted not to draft a quarterback paved the way for the Cowboys to orchestrate a trade with the 49ers for Lance. The newest Dallas quarterback’s rookie deal runs through the 2024 season.
“He was an outstanding prospect — is an outstanding prospect — as we see it. Philosophically, we would at all times like to have a young upcoming quarterback on the team,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told Archer. “This gave us a chance to do it. Every time we draft, we try to do this if we don’t have a young player in this spot. But it’s usually not available to us at this quality level that Lance is.”
The Dallas Cowboys Topped the Buffalo Bills’ Offer for Trey Lance: Report
Another interesting fact that came out of Archer’s feature is the Cowboys started with their best offer first in trying to trade for the quarterback. The Bills were initially the front runners to land Lance before the Cowboys offered the Niners a fourth-round pick, per Archer.
“The Cowboys were not considered one of the top landing spots for Lance,” Archer noted. “An NFL front office source indicated the Buffalo Bills were a primary contender for Lance.
“But the Cowboys had urgency in getting a deal done, per sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations. They made their best offer — a fourth-round pick — and did not want that to be used as trade leverage with other teams.”
Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Mike McCarthy on QB Room: ‘Dak Is the Lead Dog in Our Room’
The Cowboys have made it clear on multiple occasions that Lance was not acquired to compete with Dak Prescott. In fact, Lance is currently the team’s QB3 behind Prescott and Cooper Rush.
“Dak is the lead dog in our room there’s no question about that,” Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy noted during a September 22 interview on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “Trey’s a young guy with a lot of talent that we’re going to have to continue to develop to fit our system. Just some of the things we ask him to do in our system.
“But let’s not forget about Cooper Rush. Cooper is an outstanding veteran that has established himself and he’s made some slight changes to his game that I’ve been super impressed with.”