The San Francisco 49ers shocked the football world on Wednesday after it was revealed that they had opted to name Sam Darnold as their second-string quarterback for the new season behind Brock Purdy. This only means that Trey Lance has fallen in the pecking order and that a move away from San Francisco for the 23-year-old quarterback has become imminent.
Sam Darnold Named 49ers’ QB2 Behind Brock Purdy
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We all know that it’s going to be the Brock Purdy show in San Francisco this year. Jimmy Garoppolo’s summer exit opened the door for the incoming second-year stud to be the 49ers’ QB1. This is after Purdy came out to steal the show in his rookie year after Jimmy G went down with an injury. Unfortunately, Purdy also suffered a season-ending injury in 2022, but the fact that he’s now healthy means that there are some massive expectations for him this coming season.
San Francisco then signed Darnold this summer to add to their QB depth. This did not bode well for Trey Lance, who seemed to have a clear path to being San Francisco’s future cornerstone quarterback when the team drafted him third overall just two years ago. Well, things have changed drastically for the former North Dakota State standout now that he has been relegated as a third-string backup quarterback for the Niners.
Trey Lance Absent at Practice Amid Rampant Trade Rumors
According to reports, San Francisco is already exploring trade possibilities for Lance. This only makes sense considering how a handful of other teams out there seem willing to take a gamble on an unproven QB like Lance who still has a ton of upside.
To add further fuel to the trade rumors, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports that Lance has decided to skip practice on Wednesday amid his stunning demotion:
“In a major development at #49ers training camp, QB Trey Lance is NOT on the practice field. Source says the team is considering all options with No. 3 overall pick of 2021 NFL Draft. QBs at practice are Brock Purdy, Sam Darnold and Brandon Allen,” Maiocco wrote in his tweet.
At this point, it does appear as though Lance’s time in San Francisco has come to an end.
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