QB Trey Lance labeled as a player the San Francisco 49ers should trade ahead of Week 1
Trey Lance may be on the move prior to Week 1 of the NFL season, according to Bleacher Report.
The San Francisco 49ers quarterback room is crowded.
Between Sam Darnold, Trey Lance, and a healthy Brock Purdy, any of them could realistically be San Francisco's starter heading into the 2023 season. But it was reported earlier in the offseason that the Niners have Purdy on the fast track to being the starter come Week 1, leaving Lance, a former first-round pick by the team, as the odd man out.
"I think Brock has earned the right with the way he played that he's probably the leader in the clubhouse at that," general manager John Lynch told reporters in March.
With the circumstances defined, it makes sense why Bleacher Report billed Lance as the one player the Niners should look to trade ahead of Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season.
Take a look at what the writers at Bleacher Report said may happen to the Niners:
From Bleacher Report: While the 49ers don't want to be left without an available starter, they signed Sam Darnold as insurance this offseason. They have to consider trading Lance now while he still has some reasonable value. And Lance's value lies in the fact that he's an unknown. Right now, he can be viewed as a young dual-threat signal-caller with a high first-round pedigree and untapped potential. Should Lance lose the quarterback competition to Purdy or, in a worst-case scenario, Darnold, he'll likely be viewed as a bust. Assuming Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan truly believe Purdy can be "the guy," their best move is to trade Lance before his value is completely tanked.
Trading Lance is an understandable decision, but what could be holding the Niners back is his trade value.
Lance got hurt in Week 2 of the 2022 NFL season. He ended up missing the rest of the season, while Purdy, originally the third QB on the Niners' depth chart, met the moment with near-reckless ambition.
Still, Lance has potential. He was taken in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft for a reason. It is up to San Francisco to see if it is worth exploring trade packages for the still-young quarterback throughout OTAs and eventually training camp.
Feature image via Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports.
