Everyone within the San Francisco 49ers organization knows it is only a matter of time before Trey Lance overtakes Jimmy Garoppolo as the starting quarterback.
Fans finally got to see Lance, this year’s No. 3 overall pick, in action Saturday and he did not disappoint.
A glimpse at his final line shows he went 5/14 and took four sacks.
However, this one throw is why fans are feeling good following the preseason opener.
TREY LANCE. 80 YARDS.#KCvsSF #NFLPreseason pic.twitter.com/ixGwWzCcgj
— NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2021
Touchdowns are the name of the game and Lance connecting for an 80-yard score was one of the top highlights of the entire weekend around the NFL.
Staying Patient While Excited
As we said, Lance’s final line was nothing to go crazy over.
Yet this touchdown pass was a fantastic sign.
Lance took a huge drop off the play-action, let the play develop, and delivered a near-perfect ball to his receiver.
Trey Lance’s rookie debut vs. Chiefs:
♦️5-14
♦️128 yards
♦️1 TDThe future looks bright in San Francisco 😎 pic.twitter.com/56wNKtvEW0
— PFF (@PFF) August 15, 2021
We say “near-perfect” because it was not an exact spiral.
But no one will care given the final result of the play.
As of right now, Garoppolo remains the top guy for the 49ers.
He threw a total of three passes before being removed to let Lance get to work.
The team is in an interesting spot with Garoppolo because of his salary.
He is owed over $50 million between this year and next, while his dead cap value is down at $2.8 million this year.
It drops to $1.4 million in 2022.
So the team could easily just cut him if they want to move on, however, doing so now may be a premature move.
How It Could Play Out
The 49ers would be wise to let Garoppolo start the season under center.
He led the team to the Super Bowl two years ago and has had a lot of his tenure in the Bay Area ruined by injuries.
And let’s not forget Lance is a rookie with a glaring lack of college experience.
The 21-year-old played a single game in 2020 and his only full season at the collegiate level was in 2019.
Making an 80-yard touchdown pass in the preseason is fun, but not a reason to make wholesale franchise changes.
The selection of Lance at No. 3 overall proves he is seen as the franchise quarterback of the future.
That can remain true with Garoppolo being the primary starter in 2021.
Lance is so young that even sitting for a year or two won’t hurt his long-term potential in San Francisco.
The team would just be in for a unique contract negotiation if he lights it up his first year on the field after sitting.
There is going to be plenty of overreaction among 49ers fans because of Lance’s touchdown strike.
Perhaps that will light a fire under Garoppolo and see him return to his old, promising ways.
NEXT: 49ers Already Commit To Getting Trey Lance On The Field In 2021