49ers' updated trade stance on Trey Lance revealed

NFL analyst Brian Baldinger is among those who believe the San Francisco 49ers have multiple reasons to hold onto quarterback Trey Lance through at least the start of the upcoming season. 

As shared by David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone, Baldinger echoed Niners insider Tim Kawakami of The Athletic and suggested during a Tuesday appearance on San Francisco sports radio station 95.7 The Game that the club likely will dress three quarterbacks following all that occurred last season. From Week 2 of the 2022 campaign through the NFC Championship Game in January, the 49ers lost Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Purdy to serious injury setbacks. 

Purdy underwent surgery in March to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow but is on track to start the Week 1 contest at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 10. 

ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported in June that "there was no trade market" as it pertains to Lance's services this offseason even before the 2021 first-round draft pick stumbled during the team's preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders earlier this month. Baldinger indicated little has changed regarding Lance's worth as a tradeable asset this summer. 

"So I don't think you're going to get the value for him if you said, 'Let's go trade him to (the Green Bay Packers) or somebody,'" Baldinger added about Lance. "I don't know. But I don't see that there's any value to it. So you hang on to him, and if you need him, maybe he could come off the bench at some point this year, and his game gets elevated from what we have kind of witnessed this year."

Lance still has made just four career NFL regular-season starts but could enter September third on San Francisco's depth chart beneath both Purdy and free-agency signing Sam Darnold. Bonilla noted that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Tuesday he hasn't yet chosen his QB2 and won't do so until after the 49ers close the preseason against the Los Angeles Chargers this coming Friday. 

Shanahan also said Tuesday he could rotate the club's scout-team quarterback throughout the campaign. That's another sign that Lance probably isn't going anywhere anytime soon even though Shanahan is probably hoping the 23-year-old won't take a meaningful snap this fall.