Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton didn't want to talk about Trey Lance when asked about the San Francisco 49ers quarterback's performance against his team during Saturday night's preseason game.
"Yeah, I'm worried about my own team," a dismissive Payton told reporters. "I'm not worried about Trey Lance."
While the Broncos head coach couldn't be bothered with a question about a player on another roster, Denver's starting quarterback was more than willing to discuss the former No. 3 overall pick, a player who many have already given up on.
"The thing about Trey that people have to understand is that I believe he's [23] years old," Russell Wilson said. "The guy got drafted at 20 years old with the weight of the world on his shoulders. I think that the thing about it is he's a tremendous football player. He's got a lot of gifts, he's got a lot of talent, and it's going to turn for his good.
"Trey's a guy that's worked at his craft, watching him and just all the things he's done. But also, the best thing that Trey can do is ignore the noise. There's only so many people in the world that get to play this position. There's only so many people in the world that get to step in between the white lines on a National Football League field. He's one of them."
Lance entered last season as the 49ers' starting quarterback. That ended with a season-ending ankle injury during Week 2. Now, he finds himself battling Sam Darnold for the backup job behind last season's rookie sensation, Brock Purdy.
Lance had an unimpressive outing against the Las Vegas Raiders in the Niners' preseason opener. He struggled early against the Denver Broncos but finished strong, leading San Francisco on an eight-play, 64-yard game-winning drive capped off by a 32-yard Jake Moody field goal. Lance finished the game among Pro Football Focus' highest-graded 49ers players, finishing the night 12-of-18 for 173 yards, one touchdown, and an interception.
"He's a guy that's going to have a great career," Wilson continued. "He's just got to keep working at it and know that there's going to be some tough days, there's going to be some great days. It's one of those things that you just trust the process. You trust the process, you enjoy the journey, and you have tunnel vision. You put the blinders on, you keep working, and there's always a breakthrough."
Whatever happens to Lance in the future, the young quarterback has a fan in the nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback.
Wilson added, "I'm rooting for him. I think he's got a lot of talent, a lot of ability, and a lot of years left."
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