That didn't happen.
On Wednesday, multiple reports stated that the Niners had declared Sam Darnold, a free-agent acquisition in March, as starter Brock Purdy's primary backup. The same reports say that the 49ers are looking at their options regarding Lance. That likely includes a potential trade.
The plot thickened when local reporters headed out to watch Wednesday's practice, the last before Friday's preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers. Lance was nowhere to be found.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, not only are the 49ers exploring trade possibilities for the third-year quarterback, they have been shopping him for "much of the offseason."
"The team never received a significant trade offer," Russini tweeted.
What this means for Lance's future remains unclear. However, if the 49ers are looking to move the quarterback, they will unlikely want him to step on the practice field or in a preseason game until they have explored all possibilities.
In 2021, San Francisco traded three first-round picks and a third-rounder to the Miami Dolphins to move up to select Lance. The quarterback has started just four games since that massive trade.
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