What can we expect from the San Francisco 49ers in 2022 with second-year player Trey Lance at the helm of the offense? A lot depends on the young quarterback's development. We didn't see much of him last season when Lance started two games and played just 178 offensive snaps. It's not a big sample size to judge.
Only the 49ers know what they have in the 21-year-old quarterback. They've seen him every day in the quarterback room and on the practice field. For now, they are expressing confidence in Lance's ability to take over for Jimmy Garoppolo.
"We believe he's ready," general manager John Lynch said on Monday. "He's going to have to show that. And I think he's ready to show that to us, show that to his teammates, show that to the world. So we're excited for that opportunity that he has."
Lance's readiness could be the difference between the 49ers owning a losing record and being a Super Bowl contender. Good Morning Football's Kyle Brandt called the 49ers quarterback the most "pivotal" player in the NFL.
"We know who the great players are," Brandt said. "We know [Patrick] Mahomes and [Aaron] Rodgers, and all those guys are going to be great. Trey Lance, I think, might be the most pivotal player in the whole NFL, meaning if he shows up and is like Mahomes in his second year or even close to that, they could win the Super Bowl next year.
"If he shows up and he's just, 'I don't know. I'm just like the little cub who's not ready to hunt yet,' they're in trouble. ... Even if Deebo [Samuel] stays—I love Shanahan, I love all those guys—if the quarterback can't play, and if he's a work in progress, sure, maybe you can get to the Wild Card round [but] they're not winning the Super Bowl. They're not winning the NFC.
"So I just feel like the pendulum on Trey Lance, it dictates so much. If he's got it, look the hell out. And I think we'll know early. I think we'll know in Week 2, Week 1 about, 'Uh oh, I think maybe this guy should have stayed on the shelf another year.
"A lot of great players. A lot of below-average players. I can't think of one who's going to swing more influence, and more wins and losses, and is more of a mystery than that dude, the second-year guy for the Niners."
The concern about Deebo Samuel is valid. The 49ers want to lock him up to a contract extension, but the receiver wants out. It's a drama-filled offseason situation that was unexpected. Lance would benefit from throwing to one of the best offensive weapons in the NFL. Trading the do-it-all receiver as your young quarterback embarks on his first season as a full-time starter doesn't sound like a solid plan.
"If they trade Deebo Samuel tomorrow, like in five minutes, it's tough," Brandt added. "They drafted Trey Lance understanding he's going to work with Deebo, and I think that could completely kneecap the guy in terms of what he's supposed to do."
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