Mike McCarthy predicts Trey Lance will still become an NFL starting quarterback

Veteran quarterback Trey Lance is still looking for his big break. Lance is currently in the midst of his fifth NFL season with his third organization and has experienced an up-and-down NFL career.

Lance led North Dakota State to back-to-back FCS National Championship victories in 2018 and 2019, won the Walter Payton Award (FCS’ equivalent to the Heisman Trophy), the Jerry Rice Award and was named the FCS Championship Game MVP in 2020. This led to immense hype building for Lance prior to the 2021 NFL Draft.

His hype hit its peak on draft night, as Lance was selected No. 3 overall by the San Francisco 49ers. Lance was selected ahead of future All-Pros such as Ja’Marr Chase, Penei Sewell, Patrick Surtain II, Micah Parsons and Rashawn Slater and was tabbed as San Francisco’s quarterback of the future once Jimmy Garoppolo eventually departed.

Lance didn’t quite work out in San Fran, as he played in just eight games over his first two seasons. He suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2 of the 2022 season, which led to the emergence of Brock Purdy. Purdy took over as the 49ers’ next franchise quarterback, leaving Lance in the dust. He was then traded to the Dallas Cowboys prior to the 2023 season. He spent two years in Dallas before he signed with the Chargers prior to this season.

McCarthy predicts Lance will become an NFL starting QB

Although he is entering his third consecutive year as a backup, his former head coach, Mike McCarthy, believes that Lance is on the right track to returning as a starting quarterback in the National Football League. McCarthy explained why he sees it that way.

“I think he’s definitely on the up,” McCarthy said on Thursday’s edition of ‘The Pat McAfee Show‘. “He’s improving and I think he’s getting to the point now where he’ll be a starter in this league at some time. I was very high on Trey in my time (in Dallas). I just thought he was very young and raw. Hard-worker. Excellent athlete. I think you’ve just really got to look at these players in the last 5-6 years.

“This pandemic, and the things leading into it, has made the time clocks on development a little screwed. We talked about a lot in the offensive line room that those guys have an extra year to develop. I just think your patience is something that we all wish we had in a development outlook and I think Trey is definitely someone who has turned a corner. I really enjoyed my time working with him.”

Although he is currently in the midst of his fifth season, Lance has played in just 12 career games and has only five starts. He boasts 1,063 passing yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions.