How the 49ers can get More in Return in a Trey Lance Trade
Trading Trey Lance right now would be an unwise decision by the 49ers.
Now is not the time for them to be sending quarterbacks away given their instability. Besides, Brock Purdy is still on the mend from elbow surgery and who knows if his schedule of recovery will be on track in the next four months.
But what really makes trading Lance pointless is what the 49ers can receive for him. The value of Lance is very low. There is no way the 49ers can get anything more than a Day 3 draft pick for him. If the 49ers are leaning toward trading Lance away, then there is one option for them to get more in return.
They have to add players to the deal. Lance right now doesn't hold much of any value. He's coming off a significant injury and is still a very raw player who needs time to develop. It is difficult for any team to want to invest as high as a second-round pick for him because those are the rounds where teams can find a key role player or even a starter. Really, the only reason why he has any value is because he is a young quarterback with intriguing potential. That alone is enough to get several teams with instability at quarterback to inquire about with the 49ers.
Still, teams aren't going to be chucking adequate resources to acquire Lance just because he is intriguing. Not even with multiple teams inquiring will the price on Lance go up by much. So, if the 49ers really want more in return, then they are going to have to sweeten the deal by adding players. A few players who come to mind that are tradeable are Elijah Mitchell, Ambry Thomas, Javon Kinlaw, and even Brandon Aiyuk.
The likeliest I think the 49ers would send in a trade would be Mitchell or Aiyuk. Both are going to be up for new deals/extensions in a year. Neither are going to get that. It's either one or the other that does with the 49ers, so one of them is surely going to be a trade candidate. That applies in general as well. If Lance stays put, I can still see either Mitchell or Aiyuk being traded. The addition of Mitchell should help boost whatever offer is being made to the 49ers for Lance by at least one round or add extra picks.
The addition of Aiyuk, however, would be better. It wouldn't be farfetched to yield a first-round pick in that case. Aiyuk is a sweet wide receiver who is ascending and pairs up perfectly with Lance. Really, any team looking to acquire Lance would be wise to inquire about Aiyuk as well as it will benefit the growth of Lance and give him an improved immediate impact.
Lance's value isn't going to increase anytime soon. The only way for that to happen is in the regular season, so if the 49ers want more in a trade for him, then they have to include a player in it.
