When Trey Lance steps onto the field against the Chicago Bears next weekend, he'll see a familiar face on the sideline. His former mentor, and the former starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, Jimmy Garoppolo, will be watching, ready to step in if needed.
The hope is that Lance stays healthy, plays well, and Garoppolo remains on the sideline for all of the 2022 season, after the veteran quarterback agreed to a restructured one-year deal with the 49ers, unexpectedly setting up his return for one more season.
Some worry about the message Garoppolo's return sends to San Francisco's second-year quarterback, entering his first season as a full-time starter. It may have been seen as a lack of confidence in the inexperienced 22-year-old. Should Lance struggle, how long will head coach Kyle Shanahan keep Garoppolo on the sideline?
"Look, some people question about whether or not Trey Lance is going to have to look over his shoulder, and he will not," analyst Jim Trotter said on NFL Network. "I can say that based [on what I've heard from] people I've talked to."
It's not just the 49ers' faith in Lance that makes Trotter say that. The team believes in its talented roster. That should help mitigate any stumbles Lance exhibits.
"The other thing that helps Trey Lance in this situation is that defensively, the 49ers are loaded," Trotter continued. "They should be one of the best defenses in the league this season, and therefore, Kyle Shanahan is not going to have to put a lot of pressure on Trey Lance to go out and quote-unquote win games. You can bet that, early in the year, he will ask him essentially to manage these games, make a couple of plays when they need it to be made, and not get in the way of this defense doing what it does.
"So I think the situation is perfect for Trey Lance in terms of his development, in terms of this team still being able to win. Also, by the end of the year, we will see a vastly different quarterback than we see in Week 1."