It's time for 49ers to own up to their failed Trey Lance experiment

It's time for the organization to fully own up to its massive gaffe in sending its 2021, 2022 and 2023 first-round picks to the Miami Dolphins by finding a new home for the young quarterback.

The 49ers have been lucky not to be burned by the Lance trade. San Francisco was a combined 23-11 over the past two seasons after making the trade, reaching the NFC Championship Game both years.

Even so, it's scary to imagine what the 49ers would look like if they kept those picks, either to use in other trades or to keep for themselves. The No. 12 pick in 2021 it traded to move up to get Lance, for example, ended up landing with Dallas, which selected two-time All-Pro outside linebacker Micah Parsons. 

ESPN's Bill Barnwell recalled what the Dolphins later did with the other picks it received in the trade.

While a change in scenery is the best thing for Lance, considering San Francisco's terrible injury luck at quarterback throughout the Kyle Shanahan era, he could be extremely valuable later in the season.

Purdy began last year third on the depth chart before earning the starting role by going 5-0 during the regular season in relief of Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. 

But San Francisco shouldn't hold on to its former third overall pick out of fear its quarterbacks in front of him are made of glass. The team floated the idea of signing the retired Philip Rivers off the street late last season and could sign an aging veteran in a worst-case scenario this season. Quarterback Matt Ryan, whom Shanahan went to a Super Bowl with in Atlanta in 2016, is waiting for a phone call to make his return to the NFL.

While Lance won't fetch nearly as much in return as what San Francisco gave up to get him, the 49ers could recoup some draft picks by trading Lance to a QB-needy team. Most are set at the position ahead of the start of the regular season, but things can change in a hurry.

What if Baker Mayfield or Desmond Ridder struggle or Lamar Jackson or Tua Tagovailoa suffer another respective injury? Lance could be an option in any of those situations, plus a slew of others.

His NFL future is still full of possibilities. With Lance buried third on the 49ers' depth chart, San Francisco isn't one of them.