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Jerry Rice discusses 49ers’ QB situation, expectations for Brandon Aiyuk
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Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice is taking part in the annual American Century Championship golf tournament in Lake Tahoe and spoke with reporters. Obviously, the media was interested in hearing his thoughts on the current state of his former team, the San Francisco 49ers.
One of the biggest training camp storylines will revolve around the quarterback situation. Jimmy Garoppolo is slated to be the starter come Week 1. However, the 49ers surrendered significant draft capital to trade up and select Trey Lance with the No. 3 overall pick. While Garoppolo is the present, clearly, the rookie is the future.
What if Lance proves to be a quick study, absorbing head coach Kyle Shanahan's playbook and impressing during training camp? Could a quarterback battle emerge?
"I think there's nothing wrong with a good battle," Rice told reporters
via video posted by NBC Sports Bay Area. "That was something Bill Walsh always wanted. The guy that handles the situation the best is going to be the guy to get on that football field."
Rice wanted to make it clear that he doesn't have inside information about the 49ers' thinking. Right now, the plan is for Lance to serve as Garoppolo's backup. The rookie is in the unique situation of being a high draft pick but not having the pressure to quickly get onto the football field and turn things around.
"I don't know what the situation is going to be, how competitive it's going to be, or if they're going to let Trey Lance sit for a little while where he can gain all that knowledge and then get ready to take on that starting job."
Rice was also asked about second-year wideout
Brandon Aiyuk and the receivers as a whole. Aiyuk is coming off an impressive rookie campaign that saw him haul in 60 passes for 748 yards, five receiving touchdowns, and two more on the ground.
"I think he's going to come in and, with a year under his belt, he's going to be a better football player,"
Rice said. "His commitment, his route-running, he's very explosive downfield, he can catch the ball underneath, he can do it all. So, It's going to be very competitive between those wide receivers.
"It's going to be just like the quarterback situation too. Even back in the day, you had to compete. If you wanted to be that starter on the football field, you wanted to be that receiver, you had to earn it. So, yeah, I'm expecting that phase of the game to really be very competitive also."
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