Vikings reportedly talked with 49ers about Trey Lance at combine

The rumor linking Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins with the San Francisco 49ers may have become more interesting eight days before the upcoming NFL Draft. 

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported Wednesday afternoon that the Vikings and 49ers "talked about" San Francisco signal-caller and 2021 first-round draft pick Trey Lance during the scouting combine.

"The source doesn’t know whether that’s currently happening," Florio added. "The Vikings have since restructured the Cousins contract. They’d take a significant cap hit ($38 million) if the Vikings trade Cousins before June 1." 

Florio, who reported earlier this month that people in the league said there was some chatter at the combine about Cousins being traded to the 49ers, offered his update hours after NFL Network's Ian Rapoport revealed that the Niners "have fielded calls regarding" Lance's potential availability.

San Francisco general manager John Lynch indicated in late March he still wanted Lance on the roster as 2022 rookie sensation Brock Purdy recovers from the surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. It remains uncertain when Purdy will be cleared to resume football-related activities, but Lynch has referred to the 23-year-old as "probably the leader in the clubhouse" to start over Lance and free-agency signing Sam Darnold.

Cousins, meanwhile, turns 35 years old in August and is on track to hit free agency after the 2023 season. That could make him the perfect rental for the 49ers as they wait possibly until 2024 for Purdy to get back to 100 percent. 

Lance is coming off a season-ending ankle injury he suffered this past September and has made just four starts and attempted only 102 career NFL regular-season passes. It's unknown how interested Minnesota is in landing the 22-year-old, but Florio and others have pointed out that "it’s now obvious that the 49ers are looking to move on" from Lance.