When the 49ers traded up to the third overall pick, everyone knew they were targeting a quarterback; teams don’t give up multiple first round draft picks for any other position. While Jimmy Garoppolo has posted a 24-9 record as the team’s starter (including a Super Bowl appearance), he’s also missed 23 games with injuries and has displayed limited mobility and arm strength. That’s not going to cut it when you play in the same division as dynamic playmakers like Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray, and both John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan knew it. Now, they have their new quarterback: North Dakota State product Trey Lance.
The thing I like most about Trey Lance is his freak athleticism. He reminds me a lot of Lamar Jackson with his dual threat ability, except Lance may be an even better passer. In 2019, Lance completed 67% of his passes and threw for 28 touchdowns through the air while adding over 1,000 yards and fourteen more touchdowns on the ground. Perhaps even more importantly, he threw zero interceptions. Interceptions have been a big problem with Jimmy Garoppolo, the Niners incumbent QB has been picked off 26 times in just thirty starts for San Francisco. NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah also praised Lance for being highly intelligent, and the ability to process information is another trait highly valued in Shanahan’s complex offense.
That being said, Lance has plenty of skeptics as well. He only played one game in 2020 and didn’t look very good, and his video game like 2019 season came against FCS competition so there’s concern about how that will translate against NFL defenses. But in San Francisco, patience is aplenty. The Niners have the luxury of being able to trot out Jimmy Garoppolo another season while Lance develops and learns how to play in Shanahan’s system. Does that remind you of anyone? It should, as it’s the exact same formula the Chiefs used in 2017 when they drafted Patrick Mahomes and sat him behind veteran Alex Smith before turning him loose on the league.
The 49ers had the ability to make the move up in the draft because of their stacked roster: they’ve got two great young receivers, arguably the top tackle in the league, a top two tight end, one of the league’s best pass rushers, and an elite middle linebacker. Getting a quarterback on a rookie deal gives them a window to win a Super Bowl with all the talent they have around him, finally completing the “Quest for Six” that came up just short in 2013 and 2020. If this plan is successful, then Trey Lance can become the next great red and gold signal caller, following in the footsteps of Joe Montana and Steve Young. But if it’s not, the move to draft him may cost Lynch and Shanahan their jobs. Did the 49ers strike gold here? Only time will tell.
Written By Joe Grisso
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