The San Francisco 49ers’ intentions of trading quarterback Trey Lance have been well-documented over the past 24 hours. Multiple executives reportedly believe the 49ers could get as high as a second-round pick in return for the signal-caller.
“Three executives believed the 49ers could acquire at least a third-round pick for Lance — maybe as high as a second-rounder if a team is desperate enough — or a third plus a late-round selection,” Jeff Howe wrote.
“The rest believed a late Saturday pick would be the best-case scenario for San Francisco, with a couple who were skeptical the Niners could move him at all.”
Lance, 23, was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and has played two seasons in the NFL, both with the 49ers organization.
The 6-foot-4 quarterback has failed to live up to the expectations that come with being a top-three pick, though. He threw for 194 yards and zero touchdowns in two games with the 49ers during the 2022 regular season. Additionally, Lance completed just 15 of his 31 pass attempts.
Lance’s rookie season, the 2021 season, wasn’t much better. He threw for 603 yards and five touchdowns across six games played during the 2021 regular season (two starts).
The 23-year-old quarterback didn’t receive consistent playing time with the 49ers during his first two seasons in the NFL, partly thanks to two quarterbacks being ahead of him on the depth chart — first Jimmy Garoppolo and then Brock Purdy.
Garoppolo started 15 games for the 49ers during the 2021 regular season and 10 during the 2022 regular season. But he’s no longer a member of the 49ers, as he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2023 offseason.
Meanwhile, Purdy played nine games with the 49ers during the 2022 regular season and put up impressive numbers for a rookie. He threw for 1,374 yards and 13 touchdowns compared to only four interceptions.
These numbers were good enough for Purdy to finish third in the 2022 NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year voting. Only Garrett Wilson of the New York Jets and Kenneth Walker III of the Seattle Seahawks ended up with more votes.
The 49ers would be wise to deal Lance for a second-round pick if any team offers them one. After all, it’s clear that the Lance experiment in San Francisco didn’t pan out, so both sides would be better off heading their separate ways.
