NFL
By: Joe Cardoso
What should the San Francisco 49ers do with Trey Lance? It’s a question Niner fans, John Lynch, and Kyle Shanahan are asking themselves. His latest performance against the Raiders did nothing to make people feel like he has a future as the team’s QB 1 or a starter anywhere. It was only 1 preseason game so I try not to overreact, and his teammates didn’t do a lot to help him. With the team still in the middle of a Super Bowl window time is not really on their side to develop a QB. Brock Prudy was a diamond in the rough last season and coming off surgery can he be a solid starter again? Former first-round pick and USC standout Sam Darnold was brought in for added depth. But eyes are on Lance and all the things he has yet to do, let’s review how we got to this point.
Trey Lance was the 3rd overall pick in the 2021 draft the 49ers gave up the following:
1st round picks in 2021, 2022 and 2023
One 2022 3rd round pick
the plan was for him to sit and learn behind Jimmy G and 2022 would have been his first year as a starter. Injury stopped that and forced him to miss valuable playing time and development which he needed. When you look at his play and what the Dolphins got in the trade it makes the move look so bad. Talk of it maybe being one of the worst in NFL history has begun. Miami was able to move those picks and turn them into players like Jaylen Waddle, Tyreek Hill, and Bradley Chubb. When you see the names that could have been in a 49er uniform it makes you sick. How about Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Fields, and Micah Parsons to name a few.
Trey Lance is 23, with 4 regular season starts.
Let's give him a chance to figure himself and life out a bit more under the duress of early unforeseen circumstances in his young career. https://t.co/OrGRnvZz9D
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) August 14, 2023
What has become very clear is that he is far away from being QB 1 material and he has NO fit on this team at all. Is it Trey Lance or is it the system? From holding on to the ball too long to trying to make every throw 100mph his issues are many and as I said the clock is clicking. After everything that was given up to grab him, you can’t let him just go so a trade makes sense, but then I would ask what is his trade value? The things that have happened to him are not all his fault but that’s the NFL it’s not always fair.
Even his rise in the draft was unorthodox starting 17 games at North Dakota State where in a small sample size he put up big numbers. Once word got out that the NFL was possible the school even put together a showcase game to give NFL scouts a chance to see him. He hit all the numbers with his 40 time, measurables, arm strength, and interviews but everyone seemed to forget his lack of starts ON the field.
Was Brock Prudy a flash in the pan or is he the real deal? Can Sam Darnold bring his career back to life in the Bay? The quarterback position is not solid in San Francisco and with such a talented roster it needs to be. You can’t waste this core with mediocre play at the most important position. Luckily they are so talented that they can figure this out and still be an NFC contender. Am I saying Trey Lance is a bust no I am not but I am saying he is not today a starting quarterback in the NFL, and I don’t think San Francisco is the place for him? Rep the Niner Gang and help us out by visiting our partners at Fanatics.
