The San Francisco 49ers are two weeks into the OTAs, and without a doubt, all of the attention this offseason for the team is on who their starting quarterback will be in Week 1. Fans have dreamt about what a Trey Lance offense will look like as the quarterback competition heats up between the No. 3 draft pick and Jimmy Garropolo.
In the first OTA open to the media, Lance completed the 7-on-7 team reps during a 75-minute practice. He took six reps on the field and went 10 for 14 with an interception and dropped pass. While veteran tight end, George Kittle praised Lance for looking much better than a typical rookie, he took all of his reps with Garropolo. Although Kittle’s support may be with Garropolo for now, head coach Kyle Shanahan is willing to give Lance his fair chance as the starting job.
ESPN reported that Shanahan was designing plays for Lance while scouting other quarterbacks while on the plane ride home from watching Justin Fields workout/ scouting day. This isn’t surprising considering what the 49ers gave up this offseason to move up from No. 12 to 3 to draft Lance.
The OTAs continue through June 10th, but so far Lance is impressing the 49ers in all of the right ways with his good size, arm strength, and athleticism. His football IQ deems him to be a bright player who can also improve on his footwork, body mechanics, and mid-range to deep ball accuracy. Lance is a quarterback who can pick up chunks of yards on the run and can make the hopeless receivers look like possible pros.
Although no immediate starter has been named for the 49ers, Lance has not been ruled out. The 49ers want to know how he handles a competitive offense considering that his lack of experience playing at a high level may be of concern to them. Lance only played 17 college games since 2019, and for now, his future rides on how Garropolo, who is on borrowed time, looks in the camp.
Lance’s biggest X-factor is what his impact will be on the ground. ESPN’s Mike Clay predicts him to go for 2,464 passing yards and 16 touchdown passes. In terms of when he could start, insiders are eyeing a Week 4 start before the 49er’s first divisional game or after their Week 6 bye. Bleacher Report also reports that Garropolo still has significant support if he’s healthy and in the lineup. Lance is a dual-threat but we may be a couple of games into the season before the Trey Area era officially begins for the San Francisco 49ers.
For more NFL coverage, click here.
