The San Francisco 49ers quarterback situation has been one to monitor all offseason, as projected starter Brock Purdy has worked his way back from a torn UCL, while former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance and free-agent signing Sam Darnold have competed for the backup job.
While trade rumors around Lance heightened during the NFL Draft, they were shut down, as Brock Purdy's health was still a question mark, but also due to a lack of likely suitors, given the number of teams with fixed situations at the position during that portion of the offseason.
Since then, rumors have cooled around Lance's departure from San Francisco, both due to the competition he's currently in, and the lack of interest around the league.
But, could the quarterback be moved after a strong outing in the preseason?
Former NFL General Manager Jeff Diamond shared his list of players that could be moved prior to the start of the season, with Lance serving as the headliner on offense, pointing out the depth of the room around him, as well as the savings that San Francisco could obtain, given it's a post-June 1st move.
"The San Francisco 49ers traded a boatload of high picks (three first-rounders and a third-rounder) to move up to No. 3 overall in the 2021 draft and select Trey Lance. He has battled injuries and started only four games during his first two seasons with a 2-2 record and an 84.5 passer rating," Diamond wrote.
"Despite the high cost of moving up for Lance, the 49ers could rationalize trading him after finding 2022 seventh-round steal Brock Purdy. Purdy won his first seven starts at quarterback, leading San Francisco to the NFC title game before his first-quarter injury against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Purdy appears to be coach Kyle Shanahan's favorite to start at quarterback. Last year's Mr. Irrelvant is progressing toward returning from his elbow injury by the regular season, initially participating in training camp with a reduced throwing schedule. We'll see how the 49ers handle his workload with Lance and Sam Darnold there taking early reps."
"They'll play in preseason games and joint practices with the Las Vegas Raiders to help San Francisco determine who is the better fit to back up Purdy while also showcasing either quarterback for a potential trade."
Diamond shared that the 49ers could save $3.76 million with a Lance trade, whereas the savings for Darnold would only be $1.55 million, should he be saved or released.
"San Francisco can gain $3.76 million in salary cap savings this year by trading Lance, and they could use that room when all players count against the cap in the regular season. They also can avoid dealing with a potential fifth-year option exercise in 2024 on Lance," Diamond shared.
"Darnold is also a trade candidate, but if Lance performs well this preseason, he would likely bring a better return in a trade considering his lofty draft status. Darnold would only bring a cap savings of $1.55 million if traded or released."
Diamond listed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, and Washington Commanders as potential trade partners, given the questionable quarterback situations in each place.
Now, is this realistic?
At this stage in the offseason, if the 49ers were to move Lance, it would be in a backup capacity, as the quarterback wouldn't have the integration period that the offseason provides.
However, if Lance wins the backup role over Darnold with a strong showing in the preseason, then the 49ers would be better off keeping him, understanding their injury concerns at the position.
But, if Lance loses the preseason battle to Darnold, he likely doesn't garner any trade interest, given that designation likely comes with an up-and-down preseason, especially given how average the play between the two was in training camp.
Either way, at this point, it's tough to justify a trade for Trey Lance, both due to perceived interest elsewhere, and the 49ers' desire to keep him as a backup.