Just two years ago, the San Francisco 49ers traded the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft – plus first-rounders in 2022 and 2023 – to the Miami Dolphins to move up to No. 3 overall, where they selected Trey Lance as their new franchise quarterback.
In the leadup to the 2023 NFL Draft, Lance’s future with the 49ers seems completely up in the air.
Several teams have called the 49ers to discuss a possible trade for Lance, according to an NFL Network report, which said that San Francisco is taking calls but not making calls.
The interest in Lance stems from the emergence of last year’s “Mr. Irrelevant” Brock Purdy, the final pick in the 2022 draft out of Iowa State, who thrived as a starter after injuries to Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, who is now with the Raiders.
Purdy, 23, went 5-0 in his five regular-season starts with 1,374 yards, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions and led the 49ers to the NFC Championship game, during which he suffered a torn UCL in his right elbow that required surgery.
Last month at the NFL owners meetings, 49ers general manager John Lynch said Purdy “has earned the right” to be the team’s starting quarterback, but uncertainty over Purdy’s recovery — along with the heavy price they paid to move up in 2021 — might give San Francisco pause about trading Lance, barring a too-good-to-pass-up trade offer.
Purdy recently told Yahoo Sports that he’s “not really sure” if he will be healthy enough to play during the 2023 season.
Lance, who turns 23 next month, has appeared in just eight games (with four starts) over his first two NFL seasons after playing just one game his senior year at FCS school North Dakota State due to COVID-19 impacting the college season.
Lance began last season as San Francisco’s starter but fractured his ankle in Week 2, ending his season.
His injury and lack of game action since 2019, when he last played a full season at North Dakota State, raise questions about how his development has been impacted and how much opposing teams will be willing to offer in a trade, but the 6-4, 224-pound Lance has immense dual-threat upside and is still young.
The 49ers, who added ex-Jets QB Sam Darnold for depth, have a lot to weigh before trading away the guy they coveted 24 months ago.
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