It's been a while since we've had a report of disparity between general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. We were probably overdue. Michael Lombardi of The Athletic is the latest to claim the two San Francisco 49ers decision-makers can't agree. This time, the difference of opinions surrounds what to do with the No. 3 overall pick. More specifically, it has to do with which quarterback to select—since we all know that is the plan.
"Someone told me yesterday—not an NFL head coach—but someone told me that there is a conversation in the building that Kyle wants X and maybe Lynch wants Y," Lombardi said during an interview on SiriusXM's The Rap with Patrick Meagher. "Look, I'm going to be very clear here—Kyle is going to make this pick. ... It's in his contract. It's not a question of he's just going to do it by his personality. The Shanahans run the 49ers. Lynch is there to do what he is told to do."
Many people are predicting the 49ers to select Trey Lance with the 3rd pick in the NFL draft. @mlombardiNFl explains to @TheWrapRadio why he believes San Francisco will be heading in a different direction. #LombardiLine pic.twitter.com/3fBAaCILSs
— VSiN (@VSiNLive) March 28, 2021
Yes, Shanahans was plural. Lombardi feels Kyle's father, Mike Shanahan, likely has some input into the decision and could be influential. The former NFL executive turned writer feels, given the history of the two, that points to Mac Jones of Alabama over Trey Lance of North Dakota State or even Justin Fields of Ohio State.
During the segment, Lombardi also mentions that neither Lynch nor Shanahan were in attendance for Lance's pro day, suggesting that the former Bison quarterback isn't in the running for a move to the Bay Area.
"That tells you a lot," Lombardi states.
Of course, what is ignored is that Lance's pro day was before the 49ers traded from No. 12 to No. 3, and team brass likely didn't want to hint that it might be working on a blockbuster move. Shanahan even addressed it this week.
"When you're sitting at 12 and stuff, I don't want to go to a bunch of quarterback pro days and things like that," Shanahan said on Monday. "Now that you move up to three, you don't have to hide as much. It's not as big of a deal to me as it might've been when we were sitting at 12."
And there has been chatter that Lance would even be willing to conduct a second pro-day-style workout.
Feel free to determine the value of Lombardi's comments for yourself.
