The San Francisco 49ers, under John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan, have reached four NFC title games and two Super Bowls, becoming one of the most successful teams in the NFL over recent years. However, their decision to trade several first-round picks to select quarterback Trey Lance with the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL draft is widely regarded as a misstep.
Lance showed considerable promise during his only season as North Dakota State’s main starter in 2019, guiding his team to a perfect 16-0 record with impressive statistics both passing and rushing. The 49ers selected Lance based on this strong college performance. However, a limited number of college games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, injuries, and Brock Purdy’s unexpected rise meant that Lance did not meet expectations in San Francisco.
After spending time as a third-string quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, Lance joined the Los Angeles Chargers before this preseason. As the 49ers prepare to face him in their final preseason game, Shanahan continues to support his former player.
“I don’t want to sit here and evaluate Trey again. I’m pulling for Trey. I love Trey. One of the best people I’ve been around and I really hope it works out for him,” Shanahan told reporters on Tuesday.
Shanahan added regarding Lance’s development with his new team: “The more he practices, the more he works (…) He’s only going to get better.”
So far this preseason, Lance has thrown for 296 yards and two touchdowns with the Chargers and has demonstrated some of the skills that made him an early draft pick. Although Shanahan had not yet watched tape of Lance’s play with his new team as of Monday, he expressed optimism about Lance’s continued improvement.
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