PALM BEACH, Fla. — The first time the 49ers take the field for the 2022 offseason program in April, quarterback Trey Lance will line up with the first-team offense.
If he lives up to the expectations of being the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Lance would be expected to remain atop the 49ers’ depth chart for a long, long time.
How Lance looks on the field and his grasp of the offense could play a big role in how the 49ers handle the situation surrounding veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
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“Our expectation is that Trey will continue to improve, so I think everything factors in,” 49ers general manager John Lynch said Monday at the NFL Annual Meeting.
“That’s such an important spot on your team. We’re thrilled with what Trey has shown already and where we know he’s going to grow and the opportunity for growth through an offseason program. It’s vital.”
Lance rarely took any practice snaps with the first-team offense a year ago, as the 49ers believed Garoppolo gave the 49ers their best chance to win games in 2021. The focus was on getting Lance ready for the season.
Things will be a lot different this offseason. Garoppolo is unable to throw a football for several more months and the 49ers have been unable to find a trade partner for his services.
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Lance, 21, will get every chance to prove to coach Kyle Shanahan and Lynch he is deserving of locking down the starting job at the start of his second NFL season.
“It’s that old (saying) 10,000 reps, and he needs them,” Lynch said of Lance. “He’ll have that opportunity this offseason, as we will as a team.”
Lynch said he does not envision a scenario in which the 49ers release Garoppolo if they are unable to find a trade partner. Garoppolo's trade market dried up after he opted for shoulder surgery on March 8. The surgery comes with an expected four months of rehabilitation.
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The 49ers seem content to let the situation play out. If the decision is made to retain Garoppolo for the final year of his contract with $25 million in scheduled pay, would he return as the starter, the backup or compete for the job?
Lynch said all that is TBD.
“We got a lot of time,” Lynch said. “We talk about a lot of things. I do know that competition brings out the best in people. I think it did for both of them last year, and I’d expect that to be the case moving forward.”