The San Francisco 49ers gave up a lot of assets to get their hands on Trey Lance, but the early returns haven’t been exactly encouraging.
From inconsistency to bad luck to several injuries, the young QB hasn’t been able to establish his footing in the National Football League.
Now, however, it seems like he’s entering the season in the best shape of his young career, as HC Kyle Shanahan confirmed that his throwing mechanics — one of the biggest knocks on his game thus far — have improved drastically over the past couple of months, per David Lombardi.
Shanahan confirmed what offseason video has suggested: that Trey Lance's throwing mechanics are in a very different spot than last year, starting with the lower body:
"He was able to get such a better base the last two months. I think Trey’s the best we’ve had him right now."
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) May 11, 2023
Even so, the Niners might still decide to roll with Brock Purdy instead.
GM John Lynch and Shanahan confirmed that Purdy would be QB1 for as long as he’s healthy, even though that might not happen soon.
Purdy went under the knife to repair his elbow after sustaining that injury during their NFC Championship Game loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, and there’s still no timetable for his return.
The Niners also signed veterans Sam Darnold and Brandon Allen to bring in more competition, which either means that Purdy’s recovery isn’t going according to plan, or that they’re still not sold on Lance.
There have been multiple rumors about the team fielding calls for Lance and he was a prime candidate to be traded during the NFL Draft, but nothing has happened thus far.
Who knows?
Maybe this will be the year he’ll finally prove the doubters wrong and take over as the next great passer for this storied franchise.
NEXT: Kyle Shanahan Comments On Brock Purdy's Injury Timeline
