Everyone is trying to predict when Lance might make his first start. Really, there is no rush, though. San Francisco has the luxury of having two quarterbacks it believes in. Lance has the luxury of not being thrown into action before he is fully prepared. The rookie signal-caller has time to make sure he has a solid grasp of head coach Kyle Shanahan's playbook and is mentally prepared to take the reins when the time to do so arrives.
"I don't know when that time is," Lynch told Colin Cowherd on Tuesday. "I think we're going to put both guys out there, open the competition. That will be Kyle's decision. He's the coach of this football team. (We'll) let it kind of play out. But I think the reassuring thing is that we don't have to rush Trey.
"I think sometimes you get in a situation where that's the only thing we have that we believe we can go have a great chance to win week in, week out. We know Jimmy can win, and so that provides a nice luxury, a nice situation where we can really protect our investment in Trey."
RELATED
It's possible that Lance blows away the coaches during training camp and proves he is ahead of schedule. For now, everyone remains confident in Garoppolo's abilities.
While other rookie quarterbacks like Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson will probably get on the field early, there is no pressure for Lance to do the same. The 49ers can afford to hold onto both quarterback contracts this season, and the team is expected to be a playoff contender — maybe even a championship contender.
The 21-year-old Lance gives the 49ers a good chance to continue contending for years to come. Mentally, he needs to prepare himself for the NFL. Neither Lynch nor Shanahan has doubts about Lance's physical gifts or mental capacity.
"And Trey is equipped very well," Lynch continued. "It's part of the thing that drew us toward him both in talent and really the spirit of his makeup. His makeup, I think, is tremendous for that position. He's smart. He's a great leader. He pulls the best out of people around him. So we believe that will come.
"But the nice luxury that we have is we don't have to rush it. He can play when he's ready to give us the best chance, and that will be on Kyle. I think it will be fairly obvious when the time's right, and I think, at that time, he'll be our guy."
San Francisco will begin on-field workouts next week as part of its organized team activities.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers QB weighs in on George Kittle's chances of a Week 1 return
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle remains focused on returning for Week 1 after suffering an Achilles injury during last season's playoff victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. So far, the recovery appears to be progressing well. Kittle looked sharp during Tuesday's... -
Brandon Aiyuk takes another shot at 49ers, calling John Lynch "creepy," Kyle Shanahan "a toddler"
Brandon Aiyuk added more fuel to the fire Saturday morning, sharing a video that gives his perspective on his ongoing situation with the San Francisco 49ers, including his relationship with his agent, his frustrations with the organization, and his thoughts on general manager... -
49ers pass rusher shares video showing encouraging recovery progress
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Keion White appears to be making encouraging progress in his recovery after undergoing ankle surgery following a gunshot injury earlier this year. White shared a workout video on social media, showcasing his mobility as he continues preparing... -
49ers fans take note: NFL insider warns 'the 18-game slate is coming'
San Francisco 49ers fans would undoubtedly welcome another opportunity each season to watch their favorite team take the field. According to one NFL insider, that extra game is likely on the horizon—it's simply a matter of when the league and players can agree on the...