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?
ESPN's Seth Walder hypothesized five trades that could occur during or after the preseason, and unsurprisingly, quarterback Trey Lance was the headliner, with the analyst projecting a move to a fellow NFC team: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Here's Walder's projected trade:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers receive: QB Trey Lance, 2024 second-round pick, 2024 sixth-round pick
San Francisco 49ers receive: 2024 second-round pick, 2024 third-round pick
In this deal, the 49ers and Buccaneers are essentially swapping second-round picks, while the former receives a third-rounder as extra compensation, sending out a 2024 sixth-rounder in return.
The deal would provide the 49ers with fairly significant value, as San Francisco is projected to be amongst the NFL's best teams in 2023, while the Buccaneers are expected to be amongst the league's worst, albeit not nearly as much as the former spent to draft Lance in the 2021 NFL Draft.
However, the primary question is the realistic factor of a potential trade; yesterday, in detailing the details behind a Trey Lance trade, I shared my questions as to whether a move would truly be facilitated.
"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," I wrote yesterday.
"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."
The same thinking is applicable here, although it would be an offer the 49ers would certainly have to consider, should it come from an opposing team like the Buccaneers this offseason.
