I am concerned for Trey Lance. I am not concerned about Trey Lance. I believe the San Francisco 49ers' second-year quarterback will be a star. He has the physical tools, the mental makeup, the drive, the intelligence, and all the other intangibles needed to be great. But I am concerned for Trey Lance, come training camp, if things unfold as it looks they may.
This offseason has been nutty. If it was a medical condition, I'd say it's been a spastic colon. Nerve-wracking, painful at times, with an occasional bout of diarrhea. Nothing to panic over or rush to the ER, but unsettling.
It hasn't been as bad as the kidney stone of offseasons that was 2015. That's the one where Jim Harbaugh "mutually parted ways" with the 49ers, followed by most of the coaching staff. Then came the barrage of retirements: Anthony Davis, Patrick Willis, Chris Borland, and Justin Smith. Not to mention Frank Gore leaving as a free agent. Oh, and Jim Tomsula was named head coach. That may have been the most painful part of that kidney stone.
So 2022 hasn't been that atrocious, but I don't believe the offseason has gone the way the 49ers expected or wanted it to go (with all due respect to general manager John Lynch). Yes, the draft is this week. And a lot can happen between now and September. But I have my concerns, and I don't believe the team has improved.
With that said, here are the five things for which I am concerned:
1. Lance may have Jimmy Garoppolo lurking over his shoulder.
Jimmy Garoppolo's shoulder surgery and recovery have hurt the 49ers this offseason because the quarterback has been unable to throw, and thus the team has been unable to trade him. So Garoppolo is still on the roster. And he might still be, come training camp.
The reason this concerns me is that Garoppolo is hugely popular in the 49ers locker room. His teammates love him, and they believe in him. If he is still on the team for the 2022 season, and Lance struggles, which he likely will at times, how will that impact the locker room? Might players start calling for Garoppolo to start? Might fans start doing so? What about the media?
These are headaches and pressures that Lance doesn't need to worry about. I get the argument that having Garoppolo is good in case Lance gets hurt, but the thought of having the locker room potentially fractured, and Lance's confidence diminished due to Garoppolo's presence concerns me. If Steve Young thought the 49ers quarterback situation was fraught with terror last season, this season could really be horrifying.
2. Lance could have a new center.
During his press conference on Monday, Lynch was asked about center Alex Mack, and if the team expects him to return for another season. Lynch avoided giving any answer and, instead, said he preferred to let Mack make his own announcement. If ever there was a way to say a guy was retiring without actually saying it, this was it.
It sounds as if Mack's NFL career is over. This means Lance will start his new career, as starting quarterback of one of the NFL's greatest franchises, without last season's starting center. Talk about fraught with terror.
In Kyle Shanahan's offense, the center position is critical. More so than many offenses. Shanahan puts a lot on his center.
In 2020, when both of the 49ers' starting centers were hurt, Daniel Brunskill replaced them as the starter. He wasn't terrible, but he also wasn't good. Brunskill hasn't been that great at right guard either—unless he is playing against Aaron Donald. Then he looks like Larry Allen.
So it's possible Lance may have a below-average center snapping him the ball in 2022.
3. Lance could have a rookie center.
It's also possible that the 49ers leave Brunskill at right guard, and draft Lance's new center. Can Shanahan use a rookie center, with a second-year quarterback, and still successfully move the ball and score enough points to win games? It's concerning.
Maybe the best plan would be to have Brunskill start a few games until the rookie is ready. I'd rather have the upside of the rookie over Brunskill, but early on, that could be disastrous.
4. Lance will have a new left guard.
The 49ers began this subpar offseason by losing starting left guard Laken Tomlinson. Tomlinson was a Pro Bowl level guard, and he rarely missed plays and never missed a game.
Replacing Tomlinson won't be easy. But the 49ers believe they have the answer in second-year guard Aaron Banks. If Banks is the player he was projected to be coming out of Notre Dame last year, Lance should have a strong left side to protect him. But if he struggles, the interior of the offensive line may spell trouble for the young signal-caller.
5. Lance may not have his best weapon.
You may want to sit down for this one, but there are rumors that star wide receiver Deebo Samuel has requested to be traded. He is unhappy with the 49ers, for reasons we do not know. Lynch seemed to say the team wasn't trading the versatile Samuel when he said "we got nothing but love for him, and nothing but appreciation for what he's brought. You just don't let guys like that walk. I can't envision a scenario where we would."
But we know how quickly things can change, especially with rumors that the New York Jets are about to offer the 49ers a trade package they can't refuse.
I still tend to think the 49ers won't trade Samuel, and yet, NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco is saying the rift between the 49ers and Samuel has become personal. If that's the case, then maybe they will trade him. And if they do, that means Lance begins his tenure at quarterback without his best offensive weapon. That just doesn't seem like the best way to kick off your new QB's career.
So those are my concerns for Trey Lance. I believe in him, but I am a little worried about what is being placed around him. Hopefully, there's nothing to fear, and the offense develops into what we are all hoping it becomes. Then again, Lance's first season as a full-time starting quarterback could end up being fraught with terror.