Why 49ers QB Trey Lance Will be Drastically Improved in 2023
So much is being made about the throwing mechanics of Trey Lance.
The 49ers held their first open practice of OTAs on Tuesday, which is how Lance was able to showcase his new and improved throwing motion. It has always been the main critique of his since he was a rookie, and despite only playing in a few games in his career, he's been able to polish up his mechanics. He looks like an adequate passer and comfortable now.
That is to be expected from a guy who's been in the league for two seasons now, but Lance could have been looking like this well before now. The broken finger on his passing hand that Lance sustained his rookie year in the preseason finale derailed everything for him. It forced him to throw differently just to be able to stay on the field. More and more continues to be revealed about how detrimental it was to Lance's development.
“I think it impacted him a ton because he had to adjust it during the season just to be able to get through," said Shanahan. "He was healthy, but it didn't heal healthy, so he had to change how he played in the middle of the year while mainly taking scout team reps and being prepared as a number two except for a couple games.
"Going into the offseason having to re-correct that. I think it took him all offseason, so he worked at re-correcting that throughout the whole offseason and then he was just thrown into practice with us going into this year. That was corrected throughout last year. His grip and everything. I thought he had got that going this time with his time away. He knew what he had to focus on."
The continued emphasis that is being placed on the finger is really enlightening. It reveals why Lance had arm fatigue last year and why he had inaccuracy issues, which forced Shanahan to run Lance so heavily. Everything is starting to become so clear now. Remember, in his rookie year, Lance was killing it for the first half of training camp. He never had anywhere close to that level of electricity last year, which now appears to be because of his finger that forced him into bad techniques.
"My rookie year was a lot. It was definitely the hardest on it because I couldn't straighten it," said Lance. "It was my pointer finger and I couldn't straighten it after that third preseason game when it happened, but coming through my rookie year and finishing that, my goal that offseason was to get as healthy as possible. First and foremost, just to be able to get my finger as straight as I can and I felt like I got close to that point, but spent a lot more time rehabbing that and trying to figure that out and relearn my grip and throwing everything like that than I did versus this offseason, being able to focus on the things that I need to focus on.”
It's been almost two years since that injury occurred for Lance and he's finally gotten to a point where it no longer proves as a hindrance. This is why Lance will be DRASTICALLY improved in 2023. We are all witnessing it now, albeit a small sample size, with how cleaner and polished he looks throwing. Everything looks smooth and flows with him now.
Lance is able to put it all together in a perfect sequence. All that is left for him is to continue to cement that form going into training camp so that when the entire offense is together he's able to play efficient. Lance cannot afford any drop offs or setbacks. This is his time to really show what he can do now that he is healthy. The ankle is all good with him and the finger is finally put to bed. Momentum feels like it is on his side, but he still needs to go out there and execute.
Brock Purdy is still the guy for the 49ers to be the starter, so Lance will have to remind Shanahan and the coaches what they saw him in that made them trade up and draft him No. 3 overall.
