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Trey Lance is the future for the San Francisco 49ers. Some argue that he needs more on-field experience to help in his development. The rookie quarterback's last snaps came one month ago, in a Week 5 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
It's worth noting that he was inactive the next game due to a knee sprain. Week 8 was his first game back, but he did not get onto the football field. Some of that may have been the Niners being cautious with a star rookie returning from an injury. However, on Sunday against the Cardinals, a seemingly healthy Lance still had zero snaps, leading some to question the development plan.
Much of that may be because the 49ers' starter, Jimmy Garoppolo, has turned in two of his best performances this season over the last two weeks.
"Jimmy Garoppolo's Total QBR over the past two weeks is 76.8, which is the
third-best in the league over that time," ESPN's Dan Graziano recently shared.
Since Week 8, Garoppolo has completed over 66 percent of his passes for 648 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. His 80.2 overall Pro Football Focus grade in Week 8 and 79.6 grade in Week 9 are the two highest of the season.
That has seemingly been enough to hold off any thoughts of transitioning to Lance. After all, it was the 49ers defense, not Garoppolo's play, that hurt the team during Sunday's embarrassing 31-17 defeat against an injury-ravaged Cardinals team.
Still, Garoppolo didn't receive his typical praise from Shanahan after Sunday's loss.
"I thought Jimmy was alright," Shanahan said. "I thought that pick at the end, those last couple of plays were some bad plays right there, on that last drive when the game was out of hand. But Jimmy was alright."
"Alright."
That's not exactly the glowing review one would hope to receive.
If the 49ers try to find a spark to turn around the disappointing season, it probably won't come from a quarterback change.
"The 3-5 49ers' season is teetering a bit, and they likely could use a boost, but I do not get the sense that Shanahan is about to turn to Lance," Graziano continued. "Whether that's because he doesn't think Lance is ready (likely, since he came into the league as inexperienced as any of the rookie QBs) or whether it's because he feels Garoppolo truly gives them the best chance to win right now, everything points to Shanahan sticking with Garoppolo for Monday night and beyond."
That doesn't mean Lance's time won't come this season. It's unknown if Garoppolo can sustain his current level of play. There are still nine games — over half the season — remaining on the schedule.
Graziano added, "Lance probably starts at some point this season, but it could be a while yet."
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw for a franchise-record 4,280 yards last season, leading the team to the Super Bowl and earning his first Pro Bowl selection. He held onto the football 39 times on the ground, rushing for 144 yards and scoring twice. This marked a significant improvement over his rookie 2022 campaign when he had 22 carries for 13 yards and a score.
Purdy further displayed his athleticism during the 49ers' playoff game against the Detroit Lions last season, helping engineer a comeback victory while rushing for 48 yards on five carries.
On Tuesday morning, Purdy joined the "Pat McAfee Show," acknowledging that he believes he can contribute more rushing yards if called upon. However, that decision rests with head coach Kyle Shanahan,
ESPN analyst Matt Miller watches the San Francisco 49ers differently than other teams. As a 49ers fan, he feels more invested in the team's successes and failures than most analysts.
With the draft nearing, Miller made it clear which direction he believes head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch should take with their first pick. In his ESPN mock draft, a seven-round doozy, the analyst had the 49ers selecting former Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan.
Miller recently joined the 49ers Webzone "No Huddle" podcast, sharing why he adamantly hopes the team addresses the offensive line at the end of the month.
"So I
It's evident that the San Francisco 49ers engaged in long-term financial planning. Much discussion has centered around the feasibility of the team committing significant financial resources to two wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Some skeptics question the wisdom of such heavy investment in a single position, especially considering that the 49ers handed Samuel a substantial three-year extension merely two years ago.
Adding complexity to this debate is the impending contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy, positioning him to become the highest-paid player on the team. He will likely even become one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Where he ranks in average salary will depend upon whether he can replicate the stellar performance of his Pro Bowl 2023
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
