On Sunday, NFL fans and the San Francisco 49ers expected more from Trey Lance, which sums up his three-year NFL career thus far.
With presumed starting QB Brock Purdy sitting for Week 1 of the preseason on his road to recovery following offseason elbow surgery, Lance had an opportunity to shine and potentially showcase his talent for other NFL teams who could come calling for his services.
Unfortunately for Lance, his performance was shaky and fell completely flat, leaving the NFL world and the 49ers wondering where we go from here.
49ers Fans Crown Brock Purdy Starting QB
Following Lance’s performance on Sunday, 49ers fans began to crown Purdy the starting QB for San Francisco.
Brock Purdy cleaning out Trey Lance locker #FTTB pic.twitter.com/3eYKewVNBl
— iregretlikingsports (@Jimmy2424555) August 13, 2023
Even when it went right for Lance, the takeaway is horrendous decision-making and lack of awareness.
Terrible throw by Trey Lance for the TD pic.twitter.com/73aspHhHQH
— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) August 13, 2023
Hide your eyes, San Francisco fans!
Trey Lance in his first 2 drives of preseason
2/3, 9 yards passing, 2 taken sacks, 70.1 QBR, and 2 3 and outs
Justin Fields in his first 2 drives of preseason
3/3, 129 Yards passing, 0 sacks, 158.3 QBR, 2 TDs
Safe to say the 49ers made a mistake?? #49ers #bears pic.twitter.com/on1Ia7TL2W
— ˞ (@AYOD0SUNMU) August 13, 2023
Lance completed 10 of 15 passes for 112 yards and a TD. The stats don’t tell the story, as Lance was sacked four times and should have had two interceptions, including the pass remarkably batted around for a TD.
Many NFL Draft pundits conveyed their concerns regarding Lance as a pro prospect. He played his college ball at North Dakota State, so the competition he faced every week raised a red flag.
The jump in competition from college to the NFL is large, but coming from the FCS, the jump is even larger.
Lance only played one season of college football, which is another red flag. Quarterbacks who don’t have at least two seasons of starting experience at the college level have performed poorly in the NFL. There were obvious warning signs, yet many analysts (and the 49ers) bought in any way. Why?
What’s To Like About Trey Lance?
Lance is toolsy and has the type of athletic traits that coaches believe they can mold into a future star.
Lance has a cannon for a right arm, the prototypical NFL stature, and remains quick and elusive in the open field for a QB with his size. It is easy to see why NFL front offices were captivated and why fans got swept away.
Lance, by all accounts, is also intelligent and has the football acumen that NFL offensive coaches look for in a QB. All of this to say, Lance is still only 23 years old. He is not done as an NFL QB yet, but there has to be an improvement, or he will wash out of the league like many talented signal-callers before him.
Where Does Lance Go From Here?
The 49ers’ front office is putting on a brave face, but it doesn’t feel like it will work out for Lance in the Bay area. Sometimes, football players need a fresh start somewhere else to capitalize on their potential.
Look at Geno Smith last season, for example. Everyone had counted out the former second-round pick, and it could not have gone much worse for him during his time as a New York Jet. Smith rebounded to have an outstanding 2022 season, and many believe he can be the starting QB for the Seattle Seahawks for years to come.
Plenty of examples exist throughout NFL history of players taking time to develop. Remember, after one year of college competition at a lower level, it should not be surprising that Lance needed a high level of development.
Like most fans, San Francisco’s front office likely wants to see more. Just don’t give up on Lance quite yet. He could be the next Smith.