Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Why Kyle Shanahan didn’t give Trey Lance more playing time during 49ers-Jaguars
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
During Sunday's victory against the Jaguars, 49ers quarterback Trey Lance got his first live snaps since his first NFL start in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals, although most of them were handoffs.
While the game seemed out of reach for much of the fourth quarter, head coach Kyle Shanahan elected not to put his rookie into the game to gain
some of that "game-time" experience that Shanahan alluded to last week.
Lance trotted out for the first time in over a month during the 49ers last offensive series, in which he handed the ball off twice, rushed once, and kneeled twice to end the game.
When asked about whether Shanahan had any thoughts about putting Lance in a series or two earlier, the head coach stated that his personnel decisions weren't reliant on just the rookie quarterback, but rather the entire team.
"No, I didn't [think about putting Trey Lance in earlier]," Shanahan said. "I don't think about one person in those situations. I think about our whole team. I'm not just playing one person for his own experience. I try to make a decision on what's best for the team and how to win that day. And I think it was a three-score game until I did take everybody out, not just Trey.
"Once we kicked that field goal, I think it was when we got 30 and at least made it four scores. Then I did it first on all the defensive guys and they went on a long drive, which I think went from like six minutes to three minutes. But then I did it on all the offensive guys too."
As Shanahan said, Lance was not the only rookie to play Sunday, as Trey Sermon,
Aaron Banks,
Ambry Thomas,
Deommodore Lenoir,
Jaylon Moore, and
Talanoa Hufanga all played at some point during San Francisco's 30-10 blowout against Jacksonville.
Talk about Lance getting significant play time has simmered in recent weeks as starter Jimmy Garoppolo has had himself a hot stretch as off late, being one of the most efficient quarterbacks since San Francisco's Week 8 win in Chicago, which has lead the 49ers back to .500 and in the playoff hunt yet again.
Whether that strategy changes to incorporate Lance's rushing strengths is yet to been seen, but, in the earlier stages of the season, Lance was most used in the redzone. With the 49ers having the most efficient redzone conversion rate in the NFL at the moment, Lance hasn't been asked to shoulder the load, yet get any major snaps in that area at all.
Now, the best way to see the young quarterback may just be in blowouts like Sunday's game, but as the 49ers continue to roll, it doesn't seem like Kyle Shanahan is in any rush to insert his third overall pick into significant game action any time soon.
Related News
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
"Thank God for Mr. Irrelevant": John Lynch reflects on 49ers drafting Trey Lance
The decision to trade up in the 2021 NFL Draft and select quarterback Trey Lance could have had significant consequences for general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. With the team lacking first-round picks in the last two drafts due to this move, and Lance no longer on the roster after being traded to the Dallas Cowboys before last season, it's clear the gamble didn't unfold as expected.
Lynch held his annual pre-draft press conference on Monday, reflecting on the decision to take such a big chance on Lance. While such a bold move might have jeopardized jobs elsewhere, Lynch and Shanahan were blessed with some good fortune in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Acknowledging the support of the team's ownership, Lynch stated, "They believe in Kyle and I, and our
Two reported 49ers pre-draft visits didn't end up happening
Despite initial reports, two draft prospects who were set to visit the San Francisco 49ers ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft ultimately did not meet with the team. Matt Barrows of The Athletic revealed that former USC wide receiver Brenden Rice and former Oregon safety Jamal Hill didn't end up visiting the Bay Area organization.
Barrows wrote, "Meanwhile, a report in March indicated that USC receiver Brenden Rice, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, would visit the 49ers, but he didn't end up coming, according to two league sources."
Justin Melo of The Draft Network first
Breaking down the 49ers drafts under John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan
We are less than one week away from the NFL Draft, and the San Francisco 49ers have their first day-one draft pick since 2021. That was the year they selected QB Trey Lance number three overall. The trade-up to get Lance cost the 49ers their first-round picks in 2022 and 2023. And now that they are back in the first round, at pick 31, fans are anxious to see what the team does with the pick. And with former assistant GM, Adam Peters, now in Washington, it will be interesting to see how well the 49ers draft without Peters in the room.
We looked back at the seven drafts GM John Lynch and Head Coach Kyle Shanahan have led to see what information we could pull from those drafts. There were plenty of hits, plenty of misses, and a few surprises along the way. The draft picks are
Brock Purdy hopes Kyle Shanahan makes addition to 49ers playbook
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,
