Will the 49ers Trade Trey Lance this Offseason?
Face it. The 49ers haven't expressed much enthusiasm about Trey Lance since he broke his ankle and Brock Purdy burst on the scene.
When Jimmy Garoppolo was the best quarterback they had, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan seemed quite motivated to undertake the Trey Lance product. But now that Purdy looks good, Shanahan and the 49ers seem eager to name him their franchise quarterback after just eight starts and give up on Lance. And sure, Purdy has shown glimpses of greatness. But he's also Mr. Irrelevant, and as long as he's under center, Shanahan's name will be at the top of the 49ers marquee -- just where he wants it.
So Lance appears to be the odd man out. And if the 49ers indeed have moved on from him, then they might trade him when the new league year starts in two weeks. Or they might trade him on draft night.
If the 49ers get good news about Purdy when he finally has his elbow surgery, perhaps then they will start fielding calls about Lance. Maybe the Tennessee Titans would offer the 49ers pick Nos. 41 and 72 for Lance. Or maybe the Indianapolis Colts will trade pick No. 35 for Lance. Or maybe the Houston Texans will trade pick No. 33 for Lance. Those teams would be smart to acquire him while his value is low -- that's how Bill Walsh acquired Steve Young.
I would not be surprised at all if the 49ers trade Lance this offseason. But before they do, let me ask you this: If the Eagles had Lance and Purdy, what would they do?
I'm guessing they would develop Lance.
If Andy Reid had Lance and Purdy, what would he do?
I'm guessing he would develop Lance.
The best teams in the league understand the need to have the optimal quarterback. Shanahan simply wants to optimize his system, which is why he prefers Purdy.
Proceed with caution, Kyle.
