Trey Lance's talent has been evident since he stepped foot in the 49ers' building. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft spent most of the season developing behind the scenes while Jimmy Garoppolo helped pilot the Niners to the NFC Championship Game.
With the 49ers expected to move on from Garoppolo, this offseason is an important one for the 21-year-old signal-caller.
“He needs to take a couple weeks off," coach Kyle Shanahan told Bay Area reporters during a video conference call Tuesday. "He's been going since pre-Draft stuff, getting ready for the Combine and all that. So Trey's going to take a couple weeks off, and then he's going to go down to Southern California and work with some guys throwing the ball, isolate on that, just his throwing motion, working on that all the time, which I'd say 80 percent of the quarterbacks in this league do that. It'll be real good for Trey to kind of get away from us and just focus on those things. And we'll be in touch through the whole thing, and we'll get him back here and start talking X's and O's and scheme and footwork, just preparing him hopefully to have a good phase one, two and three of OTAs.”
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SIGN UP HERE Lance continuing to refine his throwing mechanics and sharpen his mind are keys to him being ready to take over Shanahan's complex offense next fall. In the limited snaps Lance played this season, it was clear Shanahan only trusted him with a pared-down version of his playbook and that the rookie still needed time to grasp the entire scheme.
That's can't be the case when he takes the field in 2022.
While there will be ups and downs during his first year as a starter, the offseason prep is crucial for Lance to enter OTAs and training camp in the best place possible to hit the ground running.
Work ethic isn't a problem for Lance. His teammates have lauded the leaps he has made this season, including Garoppolo, who crafted a good relationship with the man picked to be his successor.
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“Trey, he's grown a lot mentally," Garoppolo said Tuesday. "I think physically, I don't get to see all the reps he's doing on scout team and things, but mentally just in the classroom and things like that, he's grown a lot. I mean, when you come in as a rookie, it's difficult. Just picking up, especially our offense, it's so different and wordy and things like that.
"But he's done a good job of it. It's tough to come in and learn as quickly as he did and it's been impressive. I think next year looks bright for him. Dude’s as talented as it comes. He's just got to use those things the right way, run, slide, learn how to get down when he needs to. But no, I'm excited for him.”
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Shanahan and general manager John Lynch said there remains a scenario in which Garoppolo could return to the 49ers next season.
While the 30-year-old quarterback won't rule anything out, he sounded ready for a fresh start.
“It'll definitely be different," Garoppolo said about moving on to a new team. "I don't know if it'll be easier or harder. Each year's difficult in this league. I mean, it always is, but that's part of the reason I love it. Nothing's given to you, you’ve got to earn everything in this league and it's not easy. I think that's just something that I embrace and I sort of enjoy in a way.”
Lynch and Shanahan vowed to be open with Garoppolo throughout the process. The 49ers likely will permit Garoppolo to seek a trade partner who will give him a contract extension. Garoppolo has one year left on the five-year deal he signed with the 49ers in March of 2018.
Lance started two games this past season for the 49ers and showed impressive growth between the two. After missing basically a full year of football due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lance needed a year to sit, learn and refine his ability.
His 49ers teammates have been impressed by what they have seen from the humble and talented quarterback.
After spending almost a year with Lance, Shanahan and Lynch have no doubts they got the pick right.
"He is who we thought he was and probably even stronger," Lynch said Tuesday. "You have to have a lot to you. You have to have a lot of substance to play quarterback in this league. Both physically and from just a who you are standpoint. I think Trey checks both those boxes. What you know are the things that Kyle and his staff have identified as things for Trey to work with.
"This guy’s focus, his work ethic, he’ll have a plan, and it will be a comprehensive one. When you have the talent and that ability, and what he showed me in the moments, and there were few, when he had the opportunity to go play, I saw that competitive greatness that you look for in people that are going to lead your organization. However brief it was, I saw it. It gives me a lot of belief that it’s there, and he is exactly who we thought he was when we picked him, and we’re really excited about that."
The excitement will only increase as the 2022 season nears. But for Lance, the work begins now.