Trey Lance is the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. That job belonged to Jimmy Garoppolo since a mid-season trade in 2017 sent him from the New England Patriots to the Bay Area.
Garoppolo's time with the 49ers appears to be over. He remains on the roster, but even that seems to just be a formality at this point. Garoppolo will likely be on another team when the 2022 regular season officially kicks off in September.
The 49ers invested heavily in Lance, trading up to the No. 3 overall pick last year to select the North Dakota State product. Unlike his first-round peers, Lance didn't get much playing time during his rookie campaign. He started just two games, spending most of the season as Garoppolo's backup and understudy.
Garoppolo could have made the situation very awkward, knowing that San Francisco had just drafted his successor. Instead, the veteran was the first of Lance's new teammates to reach out to the young quarterback after the draft selection became official. The two grew close during the offseason, with Garoppolo embracing the mentor role rather than hindering the youngster's development.
With the writing on the wall, the 49ers have excused Garoppolo from training camp. He reported with his teammates on Tuesday, undergoing a physical, but won't practice. However, that has not impacted the relationship between Lance, now the starter, and Garoppolo.
"I said what's up to Jimmy yesterday [when] he was in here, and Tuesday for his physical," Lance told reporters after Thursday's practice. "So yeah, it is what it is. It's nothing weird at all. Like I said, I've never had anything I could possibly say that's bad about Jimmy. He's been a big bro to me since the day I came in. He could have made things hell for me, honestly, last year. He didn't. He helped me out with everything. So I'm super excited to see him healthy, super excited to see him throw again, and super excited to see what he does."
Lance has grown into a team leader, made easier with Garoppolo now out of the picture. The second-year quarterback was asked what he learned from Garoppolo about being a leader.
"Everything, yeah," Lance responded. "He was a great leader on this team. He handled himself the right way, the way he went about his business. He was locked in every day. Just a true professional."
For now, the Garoppolo trade options seem non-existent. The 49ers hope a quarterback need develops elsewhere in the NFL, increasing the odds that the team can get something in return for its former starter.
Kirk Larrabee contributed to this article.
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Trey Lance praises ‘big bro’ Jimmy Garoppolo’s handling of 49ers QB situation
Jul 28, 2022 at 1:59 PM
• --
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
Jeff Garcia praises Brock Purdy, discusses 49ers QB's growth potential
By David Bonilla
Apr 11
Jeff Garcia has been impressed by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy in his two seasons with the team. As the last overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Purdy was thrust into the spotlight after the 49ers faced quarterback injuries and proved his NFL mettle.
While some doubts lingered after his rookie season, Purdy's resilience shone through. Despite starting only five regular-season games, he guided the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game, where, unfortunately, he suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his throwing arm. Garcia was among those who wondered whether Purdy could maintain his success into his second season.
Last year, coming off surgery, Purdy set a single-season franchise record with 4,280 passing yards. His impressive performance
49ers sign WR Trent Taylor, reuniting with former draft pick
By David Bonilla
Apr 16
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
Draft Watch: Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley visiting 49ers on Wednesday
By David Bonilla
Apr 16
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Rapoport: 49ers send clear message to teams inquiring about Brandon Aiyuk
By David Bonilla
Apr 16
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his