Trey Lance will get the start at quarterback for the 49ers today in place of the injured Jimmy Garoppolo, but as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes, Garoppolo will get his job back as soon as he is healthy enough. The Niners hope that will happen when they return from their Week 6 bye to take on the Colts in Week 7.
Although San Francisco obviously selected Lance with the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft with the hopes that he would be the long-term solution at quarterback, head coach Kyle Shanahan has made it clear ever since Lance was drafted that Garoppolo would remain the club’s starter in the near-term, and perhaps even through the 2022 season (though that would certainly qualify as a surprise).
When recently asked about the possibility of getting Lance more involved in the offense, Shanahan said, “There’s not a quarterback battle right now. We’re going with [Garoppolo] who I think is playing very well. I’m happy that he is so Trey is not thrown into any situations he has to do too early.”
At the time Shanahan made that statement, the 49ers had just lost their first game of the season, a narrow defeat to the Packers that dropped them to 2-1 on the season. But they followed that up with a loss to the Seahawks last week, a game in which Garoppolo sustained the calf injury that limited him to one half of play and that is keeping him on the sidelines this week. Though he threw a TD pass on the Niners’ first drive of the Seattle contest, Garoppolo struggled to get anything going during the rest of his time on the field.
For the season, the soon-to-be 30-year-old has completed 66.1% of his passes for five TDs and two interceptions, good for a 96.2 QB rating. After replacing Garoppolo against the Seahawks, Lance threw a 76-yard TD strike to Deebo Samuel, but he was unable to cross midfield again until there was just 1:20 left in the game. He ultimately completed nine of 18 passes for 157 yards and two scores.
Of course, if the North Dakota State product impresses today, Shanahan could change his tune in a hurry. But if Lance should struggle, then look for Garoppolo to be reinserted into the starting lineup in two weeks’ time.
Wink, wink
As Andy Dalton was supposed to be too. Shanny taking a page from Matt Nagy
49ers have a chance at the playoffs . So that might be why he said that. Bears aren’t going anywhere
No he won’t. Shanahan has been waiting to make this change. Jimmy will never start again for the 49ers (unless Trey is hurt)
He should have drafted Mac Jones. Should have stayed at 11. Now no 1st round draft pick next to year and the following. Sorry but jimmy sucks and trey will be Kaeperncik 2.0. Good luck to the next coach. Seems Shanahan is overrated and nothing like his father
Big difference between Trey Lance and Kaep. Lance can actually throw the ball with some sort of accuracy on a regular basis. It is not a close your eyes and hope for the best situation.
You are right about Shanahan and his father. Nothing alike.
Trey Lance looks like he could go either way at this point, i.e., become a genuine NFL QB or be a complete bust. Starting him now looks like a path towards bust…
49’er fans should be more worried about Shanahan – as his supposed play-calling “genius” has been missing for awhile.
Shanahan talks a good game but he has always been overrated. Lynch will keep him around until he needs a fall guy though.
He certainly will be a bust given where he was drafted, but teams are so starved for the next great thing they end up grabbing QBs far earlier than some should go. He should’ve been taken day 2 and given a chance to sit, watch and learn and someday possibly be the starter. He’s had one season of FCS football under his belt since high school. While he had a great season, he lacks the live game experience and reading defenses.
Shanahan the “ Genius” has done nothing but choke away 2 Superbowls. Soooo overrated.
Should have drafted Mac Jones and stuck with his gut rather than listening to others draft Lance who can’t hit the open guy. Like his first pass of the game.