The early profession of Trey Lance has been nearer to a nightmare than a fairytale from the very starting. Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch traded three first spherical picks to maneuver up within the 2021 NFL Draft as a result of they considered Lance because the man who would elevate the 49ers previous the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. He had to work out.
Nicely, this story has been extra like a collection of unlucky occasions, marred by accidents and a scarcity of on-field manufacturing for a participant who simply hasn’t performed soccer very a lot. Now the 49ers’ persistence appears to be carrying skinny as Lance at the moment sits behind Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold on the 49ers’ QB depth chart.
It’s not all Lance’s fault: damaged ankles just like the one which ended his season in Week 2 final yr are freak accidents that don’t actually occur typically. But in his absence, Jimmy Garoppolo and Purdy made waves, serving to take the Niners’ offense to an explosive and environment friendly excessive. The thought was that coming into 2023, Lance would get the prospect to start out, and we’d actually see what the 49ers offense is able to.
Nicely, that hasn’t occurred. Lance has been up and down within the preseason, with good moments and head-scratching ones typically showing throughout the identical drive. Lance was the third QB off the bench within the 49ers win in opposition to the Denver Broncos, and it was, once more, a story of two QBs.
There are highs:
This can be a good throw and course of by Lance for the TD. Sure, it is WAO (shoutout @theqbschool) however the EZ angle actually is what excites me. Put up snap, Lance holds the only excessive security over to the left, snaps again proper and throws a strike. Good rep. pic.twitter.com/ChCEtiqidO
— JP Acosta (Pug Dederson Stan Acct) (@acosta32_jp) August 20, 2023
There have been additionally lows:
Regardless of all of those reps, total Lance seemed higher than he did within the earlier week, however in that lies the issue.
The most important situation for Trey Lance is that he wants reps, and I don’t assume the 49ers are keen to present him these reps. Lance was thought of a uncooked prospect popping out of faculty who wanted time and expertise to get used to NFL pace and work out what he can and may’t do on the NFL degree. I imply, he’s thrown fewer passes in his profession than many QBs do in a single season.
Trey Lance wants enjoying time.
There is no pathway for him to get it.
99 HS cross makes an attempt.
318 School cross makes an attempt.
72 NFL preseason makes an attempt
102 NFL common season makes an attempt.In his ENTIRE FOOTBALL CAREER, he has fewer cross makes an attempt than Geno Smith had simply final yr.
NFL…
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) August 14, 2023
We knew this might be a difficulty, however the assumption was that going to the 49ers would let him sit behind Garoppolo after which rise to the event because the workforce’s subsequent QB. As a substitute, whereas Lance was sitting on the bench, the 49ers constructed themselves into one of the vital loaded rosters within the NFL, with the Tremendous Bowl on their thoughts. They only want a QB who can get them there in a single piece, which implies that the QB simply has to maintain the wheel regular, not drive the automotive himself.
Lance received’t get the alternatives for development, or the identical capacity to study from errors, as a man like Anthony Richardson with the Colts. Whereas each want reps, one workforce is aware of that they received’t be competing proper now, whereas the opposite was a QB away from the Tremendous Bowl—once more. That’s why Purdy will greater than probably be named the starter, as a result of you already know what you’ll have with Purdy in that offense. The unknown with Lance has turn out to be the issue, moderately than a tantalizing answer.
Now, what are the choices right here? There are nonetheless many avenues to go down with Lance in San Francisco. If it had been me, I might begin Trey Lance. Sure, the unknown generally is a tough proposition, however should you traded main draft capital for a QB simply to not see him play with the playmakers and safety (which has been poor for Lance) that you simply invested closely in, it seems like a mistake being made. Let Lance study whereas taking reps, and as he learns he’ll elevate the offense along with his athletic capacity. Brock Purdy is a effective backup QB; he is aware of easy methods to function the offense and may do funky stuff typically to get out of a jam. Nonetheless, the primary purpose that the 49ers haven’t received a Tremendous Bowl but is as a result of they proceed to run into QBs who elevate their offense, not QBs who you’ll be able to win despite.
The opposite choice is that this, the one which I feel is the more than likely to occur: Purdy begins, and Lance is the backup this season. The 49ers are a Tremendous Bowl workforce; one of many three greatest groups within the league simply primarily based on roster expertise alone. The thought is that they want a gradual hand at QB, not somebody who it’s a must to let study as they play. Purdy will in all probability be capable of give them that, and you’ve got Lance as the first backup, in case Purdy will get injured once more.
The third occasion is one which I feel ought to occur, if Lance actually doesn’t get to start out for the 49ers: Trey Lance will get traded and he will get reps there. It might be a monumental admission of failure for the Lynch/Shanahan regime, buying and selling the QB you traded as much as get, regardless of by no means actually seeing him in actual, common season motion. Lance simply has to get the prospect to play the sport, and let him develop into no matter QB he’s going to be. If it’s a workforce that wants a future QB, so be it. Let Lance go and play there and proceed to maneuver with Purdy and Darnold.
The Lance period in San Francisco has been tough, twists and turns taking away from what was believed to be an thrilling proposition. Nonetheless, it’s in the most effective curiosity for Lance to get reps now, whether or not it’s for the Niners or another workforce.
