Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Why Jerry Rice believes 49ers QB Trey Lance has that ‘it factor’
Jerry Rice, the greatest wide receiver ever to step onto a football field, remains a passionate fan of his former team—the San Francisco 49ers. He's always willing to share his opinion on the team's current state.
The 49ers are preparing for a quarterback transition. Most expect them to trade quarterback
Jimmy Garoppolo in the coming weeks, ushering in the
Trey Lance era. Rice shares his opinion of last year's No. 3 overall pick, the quarterback San Francisco traded a haul of draft capital to acquire.
Lance spent this past season on the sidelines, starting two games but primarily serving as Garoppolo's backup. Rice believes that benefited the 21-year-old quarterback, who watched and learned without the pressure of carrying the offense as a rookie.
"I'm sure the players, just from working out with this guy during the week, during practice, they have a pretty good perception of what he's capable of doing," Rice said during an interview with CBS Sports HQ. "
I see a guy that's really raw, with a very strong arm, that has that 'it factor,' where he can go out and elevate his teammates.
"Listening to
Deebo Samuel,
George Kittle, all those guys, they really believe in Trey Lance. And I think he's going to have a great season this year."
While some might worry about transitioning from a veteran quarterback to a second-year player with little experience, Rice knows the 49ers own a talented roster capable of carrying the young signal-caller through any growing pains.
"I think they've got everything else in place," Rice said. "You look at the offense, you look at the defense, last year almost getting to the Super Bowl; they've got all the pieces right now in place. Now, it's going to be up to Trey Lance to step in and do his part, and help that team get to a Super Bowl."
Lance was 1-1 in his two starts, passing for 603 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions while rushing for 168 yards and a score on 38 carries through his six appearances.
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
Jerry Rice on why 49ers QB Trey Lance is 'ready to go'
Jerry Rice seems to be all aboard the Trey Lance train as the 2022 San Francisco 49ers season approaches.
The legendary former 49ers receiver spoke briefly about Lance with KSBW-TV in Monterey this week while he was in the area promoting his energy drink, G.O.A.T. Fuel. Rice was asked about Lance during his appearance and said he likes his dual threat potential over what Jimmy Garoppolo brings to the table and that he thinks Lance is ready to take over the team's starting quarterback spot this season.
"Trey Lance, I think he's ready to go," Rice said. "And I think he's incredible because he has that one aspect that Jimmy doesn't have, and that's the threat of running with the ball and stuff like that. So his mobility, his strong arm, and this guy, he's before his
Bruschi: 49ers' Trey Lance has 'most to prove' among second-year QBs
The quarterbacks from the 2021 draft class will be linked together and compared for a long time. Most received a significant amount of playing time during their rookie seasons. The one who did not was San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance. He started just two games and spent most of his freshman NFL season learning behind veteran Jimmy Garoppolo.
The upcoming season will be different, though. Lance is slated to become the 49ers' full-time starter, with Garoppolo likely to be shipped out of Santa Clara. One ESPN analyst believes Lance has the most to prove among the 2021 first-round quarterback class that also includes Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Justin Fields, and Mac Jones.
"He is the one that has the most to prove because you almost have to prove your
Five Reasons to Trust Trey Lance as 49ers' Quarterback
With the debate raging in the media and fandom about whether Trey Lance will start this year, an important fact has been lost by some. The team says Lance will start.
That begs several questions.
What kind of quarterback is Trey Lance? What can fans expect from this fledgling play-caller? Can Lance buck the "Shanahan Curse" and win without changing his first name to "Jimmy?"
These are fair questions (Well, maybe the last one is a bit facetious.). With all this in mind, here are five reasons to trust Trey Lance as the 49ers' starting quarterback this season:
He has displayed incredible athletic potential.
Trey Lance's college tape litters the internet. It isn't unusual to discover hours of footage covering all the plays
Sam Acho picks 49ers' Trey Lance as 2nd-year QB to make biggest jump in 2022
Last week, ESPN analyst Rob Ninkovich looked at the 2021 rookie quarterback class and stated he expects Trey Lance to make the "biggest jump" in Year 2. Another ESPN analyst, Sam Acho, agrees with that prediction.
Why is Lance the best second-year quarterback, in Acho's opinion? It's because of the weapons around him. The 22-year-old quarterback will have wide receiver Deebo Samuel (assuming the offseason rift can be mended) and tight end George Kittle at his disposal.
"Yes, there was a reason Zach Wilson was the second pick overall last year," Acho said. "There's a reason Trey Lance was third, right? Because he's that good as well."
More critical for
