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.