Two years ago the San Francisco 49ers traded up to draft Trey Lance No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. But after two straight years filled with injuries and poor play, the team may be pulling the plug on him soon.
During today’s NFL Draft coverage, NFL insider Ian Rapoport gave an update on the 49ers’ quarterback situation. He said that with the 49ers having Brock Purdy penciled in as their starter and journeyman Sam Darnold waiting in the wings, Lance could be traded as early as this coming August.
“I would not be surprised if the 49ers took another late quarterback here (in the draft)… First of all, this kind of goes without saying, to have the No. 3 overall pick end up being the potential third-string quarterback on your roster is awkward. And at some point there is more value out there in trading him than there is in keeping him on the roster. There’s going to be some team – and maybe in August… if someone loses a quarterback, maybe Trey Lance is better on another roster,” Rapoport wrote.
It’s rare enough for a quarterback drafted in the first round to be jettisoned after just two seasons. But for a quarterback taken as high as third overall to suffer that kind of fate is almost unprecedented.
From our NFL Draft broadcast: A discussion of the #49ers QB situation, including what could happen to Trey Lance. pic.twitter.com/0hwpl1p57P
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 29, 2023
Almost unprecedented, but not totally unheard of.
Ironically, Sam Darnold – the quarterback who many expect might wind up supplanting him as the 49ers’ backup – was also a No. 3 overall pick who the New York Jets traded up for back in 2018. He was traded to the Carolina Panthers after three years in the league.
Has Trey Lance played his final down for the 49ers?