How Good Does Trey Lance Have to be for the 49ers to be Successful?
It is no secret that Trey Lance faces immense pressure in 2022.
Stepping in as the starting quarterback for a team that was just in the NFC championship is no easy feat. The 49ers fully expect to be playoff contenders once again this season. Being in this situation could be too much of an uphill climb for him, and even see his performance negatively impacted.
However, the 49ers were knocking on the doors of the Super Bowl with Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback. Garoppolo wasn't a driving force to the 49ers' playoff run. In fact, he was a factor, especially in the NFC championship, in the 49ers' demise more times than not. Garoppolo was average at best for the 49ers, yet they still were a dominant force. So while pressure is heavy on Lance, he doesn't need to hit the ground running.
So how good does Lance have to be for the 49ers to be successful?
The floor is what Garoppolo did last season, but I would push it a little further than that. Deebo Samuel likely won't be in the same versatile role as he was last season. Whether he will see a significantly reduced role as a running back or become an exclusive wide receiver, the point is that the 49ers are losing the main reason why they went so far offensively in the first place. Having Samuel and Elijah Mitchell as the one-two punch in the run game was extremely efficient and enough to overcome Garoppolo.
Assuming Samuel's role is diminished to that extent, then the quarterback position will be demanded to do more. And I don't believe that will be too much for Lance. Yes, he faces an uphill climb in terms of expectations due to how the 49ers ended their 2021 season. But I think Lance can handle it. Where the 49ers can make up for that loss in having a "home run" running offense is with the arm of Lance. Finally, the 49ers can see themselves utilizing deep pass plays and even allow those plays to develop by getting Lance on the move outside the pocket.
These are skills that are natural to him and aren't a huge demand. He's just playing his strengths. All he needs to do is find his stride. That is what I think will be the key for him this season. He needs to find a stretch where he is clicking on all cylinders. Whether that happens midseason or late, that is all the 49ers need from him and then suddenly the offense will reach greater heights.
Ultimately, Lance just needs to be a little better than Garoppolo last season and that shouldn't be too much to ask of him since he brings a new element to the offense with his arm and his mobility. The only way for him to truly mess up is if he tosses interceptions left and right.
2022 should be a relatively smooth transition for Lance.
