On Friday, the San Francisco 49ers held their third training camp practice. It was the first without fans in the stands. After the session, several players spoke to reporters, including quarterback Trey Lance.
Brock Purdy is the frontrunner to be the Week 1 starter. That means Lance is competing with Sam Darnold for the QB2 job. Coming off an injury, the third-year quarterback is only focused on what he can control. That means taking advantage of every opportunity over the next month.
"Night and day" difference
Lance lacks experience. He started only two games as a rookie. Lance entered last season as the 49ers' starting quarterback but suffered a season-ending ankle injury during Week 2.
That's just four starts since San Francisco traded a haul of draft capital to make him the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2021. Lance feels healthier than ever in his third NFL training camp.
"It's been a lot of fun," Lance told reporters. "Just trying to take advantage of all the reps I can get, working with all the guys, and it's been a ton of fun just to be able to be back out there and have our full [quarterback] room back. It's been a ton of fun."
Lance worked hard this offseason to improve his mechanics and believes his efforts have paid off. He says the difference between his rookie year and now is like "night and day."
"The game has slowed down a lot," Lance shared. "Just going to continue to get better, though. ... It's more my feet, honestly, than anything from the last couple of years. But, yeah, I don't find myself liking to watch the mechanics side of the last couple of years' reps. I feel like I'm in a much, much better place now, for sure."
Is Lance disappointed that he no longer finds himself at the top of the quarterback pecking order?
"Just taking it one day at a time," Lance responded. "I'm very present-mind focused. Every rep, one rep at a time, one day at a time, one meeting at a time. Whatever it is, I truly believe everything works out exactly how it's supposed to. So as long as I control what I can control, that's all I can worry about."
Impressive B.A.
Brandon Aiyuk has started training camp with a bang. Reporters have repeatedly commented that he looks like one of the better players on the practice field. The fourth-year receiver is coming off his best NFL season, and early signs indicate he could be gearing up for a breakout 2023 campaign.
"B.A. is catching everything," Lance said. "He's running great routes, he's getting to his landmarks, he's making plays, and he looks like the B.A. that we all knew he could be these last few years. He kind of turned into that toward the end of the season last year."
Lance isn't the only teammate who has noticed Aiyuk's improvement.
"From year one to now, his confidence level is through the roof," wide receiver Deebo Samuel said this week. "He walks in, he walks out every day like nobody can guard him. And you walk around with that type of attitude, you take that out there to the field, I mean, it can only translate. He took his game to another level, and it's very exciting to see."
Deebo also impresses
This week, a sleeker Samuel admitted he is in the best shape since his rookie season. After a disappointing 2022 campaign, one the receiver called "awful," Samuel is looking to reassert himself as one of the league's most dominant and versatile offensive players. That meant fine-tuning his body this offseason.
"And Deebo looks great," Lance said. "He really took care of his body. I know you guys have all talked about it and heard about it. He took care of himself this offseason, locked in, and he looks, really, like one of the best I've ever seen."
The kid's got poise
Sam Darnold hasn't been with the 49ers long. The team signed the quarterback an undrafted free agent in March. The veteran has had time to get to know Purdy and shared some of his early impressions of the second-year quarterback. What has impressed him most?
"Just being here for the time that I have and the couple practices that I've seen, it's the poise," Darnold shared. "For going into his second year, and as a rookie last year, you can see it in the way that he plays and the way that he prepares. The kid's got poise. And I don't know if you can coach that or teach that quality, and he's got it."
Darnold has 55 starts over his career. Purdy has started eight, including his three playoff starts. When Purdy takes snaps during training camp, it is exclusively with the first-team offense. Is there any resentment from Darnold about being the most experienced quarterback on the 49ers roster but receiving only backup reps in practice?
"I mean, Brock ... I don't think he lost a game last year, went to the NFC Championship, and who knows what could have happened if he didn't get hurt," Darnold said. "So, I get it. Again, I'm here to get all the opportunities that I can and see what my role is on this team."