Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
John Lynch explains why criticisms of 49ers’ Trey Lance usage are ‘flawed’
Sep 22, 2022 at 4:36 PM
•
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
Before jumping on his regular interview on KNBR, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch spoke with his young injured quarterback, Trey Lance. Unfortunately, Lance won't return to the football field this season after suffering a broken ankle on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.
Fans have debated how the 49ers—head coach Kyle Shanahan specifically—unitized the developing second-year quarterback. Lance ran the football 16 times for 67 rushing yards through five quarters this season, putting him on pace for 217 carries for 911 yards before the injury.
Lynch was asked about the idea that Shanahan put Lance in harm's way and how he would respond to the criticisms.
"Well, look, I think hindsight is 20/20," Lynch responded, speaking with Tom Tolbert and Adam Copeland. "I think that's a flawed premise in my mind. I think we had a vision when we took Trey, and part of that vision for how he was going to play is he was going to really be able to be a challenge for defenses because we felt like he had the makings of a tremendous pocket passer. But he also had the makings to do some really fun things that put the numbers in your favor as an offense.
"We felt like he's a bigger guy who could endure some hits. You don't want to make a living out of it, but he could endure some hits. You can get hurt running the football at that position. You can get hurt throwing the ball. ... It's something we all sign up for. It doesn't get any easier when it does happen. Most of all, I just feel for the young man."
As for Shanahan, Lynch has an unwavering belief in his 49ers partner of the past six years. The two have built this talented roster together. Shanahan has guided the team to the NFC Championship Game in two of the past three seasons, reaching the Super Bowl once.
"Look, I've got tremendous belief in Kyle as a head coach," Lynch said. "I think he's one of the best there is in this game, both schematically [and] as a leader, looking out for his players' best interests. Kyle feels terrible for Trey. We all do. But would we have changed something if we could go back? Sure. We wouldn't have had that exact thing happen, but I don't think it has anything to do with the type of plays being called."
Lance underwent surgery on Monday, so it's early in his recovery.
"Trey's a tough kid, but he did say, 'I'm not going to lie to you. It's hurting,'" Lynch shared. "And I think his soul is hurt. His heart's hurt, as are ours. He's a big part of this team. He's a big part of the future of this team. That's tough to see one of your guys go down."
Jimmy Garoppolo replaces Lance for the remainder of the season. The good news is that all signs point toward Lance making a full recovery and being completely healthy by the start of next season.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Lynch below.
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
49ers continue to monitor Zach Ertz situation, says John Lynch
Zach Ertz is available to any interested NFL team after the Arizona Cardinals waived him last week. Of course, the veteran tight end can be selective in choosing his next NFL destination, reportedly expressing a preference for joining a contender.
The best contender might be the San Francisco 49ers, particularly with tight end Ross Dwelley sidelined for multiple weeks due to a high-ankle sprain. This week, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reported that the 49ers are among the teams "most interested" in Ertz.
General manager John Lynch joined Bay Area radio station KNBR on Friday morning and addressed the 49ers' interest in the Pro Bowl player.
"We're always monitoring
How John Lynch's input shaped 49ers' defensive strategy against DK Metcalf
The San Francisco 49ers faced a tight schedule leading up to their Thursday night NFC West clash with the Seattle Seahawks. Despite the challenges, the defense successfully contained Seattle's main offensive threat, wide receiver DK Metcalf, limiting him to three catches for 32 yards on nine targets while primarily covered by cornerback Charvarius Ward.
Ward's impressive performance held the 6-foot-4 wideout in check, allowing only one catch for 14 yards when matched against him.
After the 31-13 victory, Ward revealed that the initial game plan didn't have him concentrating so heavily on Metcalf. This adjustment came late, but Ward embraced the
Peter King gives unique insight into Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch relationship
This article was first published by Audacy, written by Ryan Gilbert, and syndicated with permission.
The San Francisco 49ers have turned their franchise around over the several years. The changing of the guard in 2017 with John Lynch as general manager and Kyle Shanahan as head coach has led to three NFC Championship Game appearances in the last four years, and another one could be in the cards.
NFL Insider Peter King joined the Audacy podcast "49ers Webzone: No Huddle"
Why Baldy sees 49ers QB Brock Purdy as a legitimate MVP candidate
NFL analyst Brian Baldinger asserts that Brock Purdy is a legitimate contender for the NFL MVP award. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback has been playing at an elite level, leading the league in several statistical categories, including completion percentage (70.2), touchdown percentage (6.9), yards per attempt (9.6), yards gained per completion (13.7), and passer rating (116.1).
"If Brock Purdy keeps playing like this, I think Brock Purdy is the MVP," Baldinger said Tuesday morning on 95.7 The Game's "The Morning Roast" show.
While acknowledging that the 49ers are a perfect fit for Purdy, Baldinger dismisses the notion that San Francisco's talented roster and head coach Kyle Shanahan's system are solely responsible for Purdy's success.
"Honestly,