Trey Lance trade continues to haunt the Cowboys with 49ers’ rising star

One of the 49ers' top defensive players came to San Francisco by way of trading Trey Lance to the Dallas Cowboys.

By Jerry Trotta · The Landry Hat

Published: Thursday, 22 October 2026 at 10:00 AM

Key Things to Know

The Landry Hat argues Malik Mustapha's success highlights the Dallas Cowboys' failed trade for quarterback Trey Lance.
San Francisco selected Mustapha using the fourth-round draft pick acquired from Dallas in the trade.
Lance spent two seasons with Dallas, appearing in four games and making only one start.

The Story in 60 Seconds

The Landry Hat argues that safety Malik Mustapha's emergence with the San Francisco 49ers underscores another failure by Jerry Jones regarding the Trey Lance trade. San Francisco acquired Mustapha using the fourth-round draft pick received from the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for Lance, with the safety recently playing a pivotal role in halting a comeback attempt by the Washington Commanders.

Lance spent two seasons in Dallas before his rookie contract ended, totaling just four appearances and one start. Meanwhile, Mustapha has developed into an impactful starter for Kyle Shanahan's defense, allowing zero catches on six targets across 119 coverage snaps this season.

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Trey Lance trade continues to haunt the Cowboys with 49ers’ rising star

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