Trey Lance will play on Saturday night against the Kansas City Chiefs. That was pretty much a given, but San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel confirmed it today while speaking with reporters after practice. How much the rookie quarterback plays remains unclear.
Saturday will be Lance's first opportunity in a game situation since October 3, 2020. It will be his first time back in front of fans since January of 2020. It will be his first chance to play in a packed Levi's Stadium, with the fanbase eager to see the 21-year-old and get a glimpse of what the future holds.
For the 49ers, it will be an opportunity to further evaluate the rookie, who has, at times, dazzled fans and reporters observing training camp practices.
"You just want to see players continue to learn from mistakes," offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said after today's practice. "So, you're finding those mistakes (in practice), and that's why we're not sweating it that much when they happen. It's more about how you respond and how you apply specific coaching because there's a lot going on.
"So, we want to see him go out there (on Saturday) and operate. We want to see no procedural penalties. And we want to see him have success and failure, and learn from both."
Lance also spoke with reporters and shared that he's excited to finally get on the football field with his new teammates, even if it is just an exhibition game.
"I haven't played in front of fans, obviously, since the National Championship in [January of 2020], so that was [almost] two years ago," Lance said. "So, I'm very excited to have another opportunity to be in a game."
What has Lance's offensive coordinator seen so far from the rookie quarterback?
"I think, like every other quarterback, we'd be really short-changing all of our players if we're like, 'Yup, finished product. We're good,'" McDaniel shared. "It's really a little of everything in terms of -- shoot, he hasn't heard play calls in a stadium with fans, ever. Now, that's the perspective that you have to really grasp. And whether he does outstanding or he has some rough patches, it's, again, a part of the process, and that's why we have a whole preseason.
"We're giving all these reps to each and every player so that we can really find out how they respond because the one thing you know in professional football is there's no such thing as a perfect game for anyone. So everything is about how you really respond to whatever happens on Saturday (and) moving forward."
Lance knows he's not a finished product, and there are still things to improve. He knows he has made mistakes in training camp and is looking to learn from them as he continues to absorb the playbook.
"I definitely haven't been perfect in any situation, any setting throughout camp," Lance said. "But I'm continuing to learn and just get more familiar with Coach Shanahan's offense and the situations that he wants to put me in."