49ers GM: ‘Most Likely’ Outcome For Trey Lance Is Staying With 49ers

In a radio interview Thursday morning, 49ers GM John Lynch said via Cam Inman “the most likely option” is that QB Trey Lance stays with the team and isn’t traded.

Lynch also disputed the notion that they’ve been shopping Lance all offseason, which several reports have mentioned. He didn’t say if Lance has requested a trade or not, per Eric Branch.

San Francisco is exploring all of its options with Lance right now after he lost the battle with QB Sam Darnold to be the primary backup. However, there doesn’t appear to be much of a market for Lance at this point with teams having already made their plans at quarterback for the 2023 season. 

The Vikings have come up as a team to watch and they did have conversations with San Francisco about a Lance trade earlier this offseason but their depth chart is also crowded at this point.  

Although the 49ers gave up a trove of picks to get Lance with the No. 3 pick in 2021, he has barely played due to a combination of injuries and inexperience. 

Going into the third year of his career, Lance remains an unknown, and that could make him more interesting to another team searching for a long-term solution at quarterback than to the 49ers. 

Lance, 23, was a one-year starter at North Dakota State. He was a unanimous All-American sophomore but was limited to appearing in just one game in 2020 due to NDSU’s schedule.

The 49ers traded up to select Lance with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Lance signed a four-year, $34,105,276 contract with the 49ers that includes a $22,163,837 signing bonus. 

San Francisco will have a fifth-year option to pick up on him in 2024.  

In 2021, Lance appeared in six games for the 49ers and completed 57.7 percent of his passes for 603 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for 168 yards and a touchdown.

We’ll have more on Lance as the news is available.