The San Francisco 49ers will have plenty of available offseason quarterback reps as Brock Purdy recovers from elbow surgery.
However, those opportunities won’t all go to Trey Lance.
Per The Athletic’s David Lombardi, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan expects Lance and the recently signed Sam Darnold to take first-team reps with Purdy sidelined.
It’s a noteworthy investment considering how much more the 49ers have invested in Lance, but not everyone is opposed to making the 22-year-old prove himself.
“I said a few weeks ago that the 49ers will tell us how they feel about Lance by the way they treat this offseason,” The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami wrote. “What we’re learning: Lance will have to compete. I always think competition is good for everybody.”
I said a few weeks ago that the 49ers will tell us how they feel about Lance by the way they treat this offseason. What we’re learning: Lance will have to compete.
I always think competition is good for everybody. https://t.co/PdYeYSIXAi
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) March 28, 2023
“It’s probably worth noting that Sam Darnold went 4-2 last season with SF’s new DC Steve Wilks,” FTN Network’s Sam Choudhury said.
It’s probably worth noting that Sam Darnold went 4-2 last season with SF’s new DC Steve Wilks https://t.co/a0X86l2NYs
— Sam Choudhury (@SC_FFB) March 28, 2023
“Not mad at this,” a fan wrote. “If Trey can’t beat out Sam Darnold I don’t want him on my team.”
Not mad at this. If Trey can’t beat out Sam Darnold I don’t want him on my team https://t.co/WKWwspeYao
— Andre (@DreDayIV) March 28, 2023
“Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch should never be allowed to trade up for a player again,” Triple Play Fantasy declared.
Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch should never be allowed to trade up for a player again. https://t.co/wEfK5OkqIT
— Triple Play Fantasy (@TripPlayFantasy) March 28, 2023
“We really replaced Jimmy Garoppolo with a less attractive Jimmy Garoppolo,” a 49ers fan claimed.
We really replaced Jimmy Garoppolo with a less attractive Jimmy Garoppolo https://t.co/UvvnV10Sog
— Evan Boone (@Evan_Boone24) March 28, 2023
Darnold and Lance are both former No. 3 picks drafted three years ago. But San Francisco sacrificed considered capital to trade up for Lance in 2021 while signing Darnold to a one-year deal with $3.5 million guaranteed.
Given the starting job in his second season, Lance suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2. He’s thrown just 102 passes in his NFL career, so it seems far too soon to count him out.
Shanahan has indicated Purdy will resume the starting job if healthy, but he believes Lance could play at a high level if the opportunity arises.