4 players primed to be traded during the 2023 NFL Draft
3. Trey Lance could be traded during the 2023 NFL Draft
A player that has little go right for him so far in his career is 49ers quarterback Trey Lance. Since being drafted third overall by the 49ers in 2021, Lance has started only four games, and while he has shown flashes here and there, he has been underwhelming.
In eight games, which includes those four starts, Lance has completed 55 percent of his passes for 797 yards, five touchdowns, and three touchdowns. He has added 235 on the ground with one rushing touchdown.
Last season, Trey Lance was named the starter heading into the season. After playing in a monsoon in week one against the Bears, Lance broke his ankle in week two against Seattle. The former third-overall pick did not even last five quarters in 2022 and has not had a real chance of proving if he can play or not.
Lance is still only 22 years old, and while the jury is still out on whether he can be a legitimate quarterback in the NFL, it has seemed that the 49ers are open to moving on from Lance.
Earlier this offseason, General Manager John Lynch addressed the quarterback position, and where Lance stands in the quarterback room.
"“Brock Purdy is the leader in the clubhouse,” Lynch said. “We like Trey on the team right now. Kyle [Shanahan] and I always joke we’d trade each other if someone would give us a good enough deal. So, we listen to anything, but we like Trey on our team.” 49ers GM John Lynch"
An impromptu answer that insinuates that the 49ers have lost patience with Lance and are more than willing to trade the quarterback.
Brock Purdy came in last season and went 8-0 in games that he started and finished. The rookie quarterback would tear his UCL in the NFC Championship game. Purdy’s injury could be Lance’s saving grace in regaining his job as the 49ers’ starting quarterback, but San Francisco did bring in Sam Darnold this offseason.
Kyle Shanahan said that Lance in Darnold would compete during training camp, while Purdy is recovering from his UCL surgery. One, it is tough to believe that Darnold would come to San Francisco with the inclination that he would be the third-string quarterback.
Secondly, Lance needs in-game snaps, and if for whatever reason he would lose the competition to Darnold, Lance would be the third-stringer. Which I do not think is the case. I believe Darnold and Lance are battling for the backup role, and the winner of that battle will start the season until Purdy is available. However, I do not believe that this situation gets to that point.
My prediction is the 49ers will trade Lance for a third-round pick and use that pick to draft a quarterback like Max Duggan or Stetson Bennett. A team like the Commanders or Titans are the two spots that make the most sense for a potential Lance trade.