Two ideal Trey Lance trade destinations to give 49ers QB a fresh start

While Spears' take may be premature this early in Lance's career, the writing appears to be on the wall in terms of the quarterback's tenure in San Francisco. With Brock Purdy seemingly entrenched as the 49ers starter and Sam Darnold pushing for the backup job, Lance could soon be on the move. 

Here are two potential landing spots to give Lance a fresh start and an opportunity to reroute his current career trajectory. 

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons have gone all-in on offensive skill players in recent years, using a top-eight selection in each of the past three drafts (Kyle Pitts - 2021, Drake London - 2022, Bijan Robinson - 2023) to surround their quarterback with quality playmakers. 

If second-year pro Desmond Ridder fails to maximize the talent around him this season, the Falcons won't second-guess seeking an upgrade at the position. Atlanta has little invested in Ridder compared to other starters across the league, who was only a third-round pick in 2022.  

Adding Lance, who rushed for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore in 2019, would take Atlanta's third-ranked rushing offense from last season and make it all the more formidable. 

Washington Commanders

Head coach Ron Rivera is likely coaching for his job this season as he's failed to lead the team to a record of above .500 in any of his three years at the helm. 

Right now he's banking on North Carolina product Sam Howell under center. Howell possesses the tools to solidify the quarterback position in D.C. With that said he's got an awfully thin resume as a 2022 sixth-round pick with just 19 career passing attempts in his pro career. 

Veteran Jacoby Brissett inked a one-year deal with Washington this offseason and could get some run if Howell struggles out the gate. Still, Brissett is a journeyman who is best suited as a high-end backup. 

Since 2018, the Commanders have failed to rank higher than 23rd in scoring offense. Lance flashed a nose for the endzone in college, scoring 48 total touchdowns in 19 career games for North Dakota State. 

Before Washington or Atlanta mortgages their future by selecting a top quarterback prospect in next year's draft, why not take a low-risk flyer on Lance? Making a trade for the 23-year-old signal-caller would give either franchise eight-odd months to assess whether their current starting quarterback or Lance is the answer under center before pulling the trigger on a round 1 quarterback.