The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly fielding calls from NFL teams interested in trading for quarterback Trey Lance
Lance, the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has played in just eight games in his first two seasons. San Francisco packaged three first-round picks and additional assets to land him in 2021, with head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch identifying him as the next face of the franchise.
However, Lance has received limited opportunities through his first two seasons in the NFL. He backed up Jimmy Garoppolo in 2021 then entered last summer as the favorite to start. After struggling in rainy conditions in Week 1, Lance suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2.
Injuries to Lance and Garoppolo opened the door for Brock Purdy to become the starter. Purdy went 5-0 in the regular season and took San Francisco to the NFC Championship Game. While he suffered an elbow injury that required surgery, he’s still viewed as the best quarterback on the roster and that is reportedly leading to trade calls on Lance.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the 49ers have received trade inquiries regarding Lance from other NFL teams. No deal is imminent, with San Francisco wanting insurance at quarterback because of Purdy’s injury.
However, per Rapoport, many teams around the NFL are keeping an eye on the situation. With Purdy viewed as the future long-term starter in San Francisco, other teams are interested in acquiring Lance at a discount from his status as a former top-three pick.
San Francisco also signed quarterback Sam Darnold this offseason. The former No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft is expected to receive first-team reps early in training camp this summer as Purdy works his way back from elbow surgery.
While the 49ers seem inclined to keep Lance for now, the willingness to field trade calls indicates there would be a willingness to move him if Purdy fully recovers and is cleared to throw this summer.
Evaluating three best Trey Lance trade destinations
If the 49ers decided to trade Lance, any deal they make will come at a net loss. Based on the strength of the 2023 NFL Draft class at quarterback paired with Lance’s lack of development, the return for any trade likely wouldn’t be higher than a future second-round pick.
Lance, who turns 23 years old in May, has played very limited snaps in recent years. Identified as a developmental prospect when he entered the league, the 6-foot-4 quarterback has just 102 career pass attempts in the NFL with a 5-3 TD-INT ratio and 84.5 passer rating. Furthermore, he only played one game during the 2020 college football season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Accounting for those factors and needs around the league, here are three NFL teams that stand out as a fit for Lance.
- Tennessee Titans: The Titans are heavily scouting the 2023 quarterback class, with the work led by first-year general manager Ran Carthon. Given the organizations lost confidence in Malik Willis, Tennessee will likely add a young quarterback to learn from Ryan Tannehill. Carthon, who worked in the 49ers’ front office from 2017-22, has the relationship to negotiate a deal with Lynch and would likely be interested in buying low on Lance if the price is reasonable.
- Baltimore Ravens – Facing an uncertain future with Lamar Jackson, the Ravens have scouted the quarterback prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. While landing one of the top-four passers is highly unlikely, the Ravens could trade for Lance and potentially develop him into becoming their long-term starter.
- Houston Texans: Amid increasing reports of the Texans potentially passing on a quarterback with the second overall pick, Lance becomes an option. He would reunite with Bobby Slowik, the 49ers’ offensive passing game coordinator who now will be Houston’s play-caller in 2023. Lance could compete with Davis Mills for the starting job and provide Houston with a high-upside option under center who could still develop into a franchise-caliber talent. The expected cost for Lance would allow the team to use its two first-round picks to address other needs.
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