With Jimmy Garoppolo recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, second-year quarterback Trey Lance has gotten the bulk of the practice reps during organized team activities (OTAs). Not that he wouldn't have even if Garoppolo were healthy.
Lance should be the 49ers' Week 1 starter. The 49ers invested heavily in the young quarterback, trading a haul of draft capital to move up to the No. 3 overall pick last year to select him. San Francisco has tried to trade Garoppolo. However, his surgery halted any discussions with other teams.
The narrative between the national and local media has been vastly different. There has been talk of doubt in Lance among the national press, while local reporters haven't pushed that narrative.
Lance's teammates have consistently praised the 22-year-old quarterback, including the team's star linebacker (h/t TheSFNiners for the find).
"They've helped develop me into the player I am." @49ers LB @Fred_Warner recently discussed his career path from a 3rd Round pick in 2018 to an All-Pro in San Francisco and what he has seen from QB Trey Lance.
👇LISTEN👇 | #49ers | #FTTB pic.twitter.com/McguJCSDYx
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) May 31, 2022
"He's come into his own [during OTAs]," Fred Warner said during a SiriusXM Radio interview this week. "I think he's starting to get that confidence. He's always been humble, always been a hard worker, eager to learn, eager to continue to grow, and that's what you need. That's the foundation to be able to set yourself up for success.
"And he obviously has a ton of talent that we've already seen. It's just a matter of him continuing to develop that, and I like what I've seen out of him. I think he's got a really, really bright future. He has everything you'd want in a franchise quarterback. So however it ends up, I think Trey's put himself in a good position."
San Francisco still hopes to trade Garoppolo before the start of the season. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said that hasn't changed. The quarterback should be able to throw again by the end of this month or early July. But, for now, everything is in a holding pattern. It's unlikely Garoppolo throws a pass again for the 49ers, the team that traded for him in 2017.
"I think whatever happens with that, obviously, that's in the hands of Kyle, John (Lynch), and those guys that make those decisions," Warner added.