KNBR was live at the San Francisco 49ers facility in Santa Clara and had an opportunity to speak with Trey Lance. The second-year quarterback feels more acclimated to the area and the team following a whirlwind 2021 campaign.
"I know where all the Chipotles are nearby and everything like that," Lance said jokingly. "For me, I just feel so much more comfortable. I know the guys in the locker room so much better. I'm obviously in a very different position than I was last year, and it's just been a ton of fun."
A "very different position" is correct. Last season, Lance served as Jimmy Garoppolo's backup, learning from the veteran quarterback. He has been handed the reins this offseason and will be the team's QB1 come Week 1.
Many were underwhelmed by Lance's rookie season. Part of that is because the quarterback started just two games. However, even Lance's small sample size of playing time failed to wow anyone. It's worth remembering, though, that the quarterback had to learn a new way to grip the football to compensate for an injured finger.
"We started [correcting the grip] back at the end of March, after taking a little bit of time away after the season," Lance explained. "Went to gripping a football again. ... I learned to throw and finish off my middle finger versus my pointer finger. Kind of just reteaching that, and it didn't take near as long as I thought. ... By the time I got back to OTA, Phase 1, I wasn't even thinking about it anymore."
Lance feels more comfortable on the football field too. As the starting quarterback, he is getting most of the practice reps now. Soon, he'll be out with the starters during preseason, better prepared to face opposing defenses. Mentally, he has made significant leaps compared to last season.
"I'm in a whole other place," Lance admitted. "I can't even imagine going back to last year. But yeah, everything has definitely slowed down."
The excitement for the upcoming season continues to build for players and fans alike. The 49ers are talented enough to overcome any growing pains Lance might encounter in his first season as a starter.
"We're going to be ready to go," Lance said. "I'm excited for this whole team. We've got a great group of guys again. It's going to be a ton of fun."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Lance below.