Ward details friendly rivalry with Lance as QB's defensive mentor

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Trey Lance and Jimmie Ward have built a special relationship as locker mates and competitors out on the field. 

The second-year quarterback has a friendly rivalry with the longtime safety dating back to last season when the two began chirping one another in the locker room. 

Ward joined KNBR 680's "Papa & Lund" on Tuesday after training camp practice, where he was asked why Lance's locker was placed next to his last season and discussed how the friendly banter began. 

"They set it up," Ward said. "I just walked in, I remember he got drafted and I walked in the locker room I just see 'Lance' right next to me and ever since then when I got in, I met him I was like, 'What up Trey, welcome to the squad,' this and that and ever since then we've been kicking it. When he first came in I was like, 'Hey, we going to play catch today?' And he's just like, 'Huh, what you mean play catch?' [And I said] 'Throw me the ball today,' and he's like, 'No, I'm not throwing you the ball!' 

"Ever since then we've just been messing around with each other and he's like, 'Hey Jimmie, I'm going over your head today.' So it's just friendly competition and I feel like stuff like that gets us better."

The relationship is more than just a fun rivalry. Ward and other veteran leaders on defense will take every opportunity to help out the young quarterback and offer any insight they can that would aid his development. 

"If we see something, if I make a play against him or somebody else makes a play or a PBU or a pick or something like that, he asks me, 'Hey, what defense were y'all in?'" Ward explained. "And I tell him ... I just give him tips and he just takes what he needs from it and he always corrects it. I don't see him make the same mistake twice, he does a great job at that. He knows how to take information and go out on the field and perform."

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Iron sharpens iron, as the 49ers often say. And it doesn't hurt to have a little bit of fun along the way. 

With Ward and the 49ers' defense getting the better of Lance and the offense throughout most of training camp thus far, it's only a matter of time before the young quarterback turns the tables on his defensive rival

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