Trey Lance

Latest On Trey Lance, Justin Fields

April 19th, 2021 at 3:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Trey Lance conducted his second pro day Monday in Fargo, North Dakota. A few notable teams attended the event. While previous reports indicated the 49ers, Falcons and Broncos were to have personnel at the showcase, the Patriots were there as well.

The Pats sent Eliot Wolf and director of player personnel Dave Ziegler to observe Lance, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. The Panthers and Bears are not believed to have sent representatives to watch the North Dakota State prospect throw this time, Breer adds, though both teams were at his first pro day. Washington, which has been linked to Lance recently, did have a contingent present, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com tweets.

Lance ran 49ers drills at the workout. The idea of working in Kyle Shanahan‘s offense appeals to Lance, Justin Fields and Mac Jones, according to Breer. Lance and Fields opted to go through with second pro days in order for Shanahan and John Lynch to be on-hand. Lance has worked with QB guru John Beck in recent weeks and, per Graziano, did so at Shanahan’s request (Twitter link). San Francisco’s staff gave Beck a set of drills for Lance to work on during the leadup to his second pro day. Shanahan coached Beck when he served as Washington’s OC in the early 2010s.

The Panthers sent their top brass to Lance’s first pro day March 12; Matt Rhule, GM Scott Fitterer and OC Joe Brady made that trip, Breer adds. The Bears sent Matt Nagy to watch Fields’ second pro day last week, with Washington having director of college scouting Tim Gribble at that event. Nagy and GM Ryan Pace made the trip to watch Lance last month but were not believed to be at Lance’s second throwing session, which, like Fields’ workout sequel, was closed to media.

Denver OC Pat Shurmur was at both Fields and Lance’s second sessions, and while the Broncos are not a lock to draft one of this year’s top five passers, teams believe they are lurking as as stealth QB suitor, according to Breer. The Broncos are set to pick ninth. One of those QBs could well fall to them, but the Broncos have also been linked to a possible trade-up for a quarterback. The team last drafted a first-round quarterback in 2016 (Paxton Lynch) but has never selected one in the top 10. If the 49ers take Jones, the Broncos would stand to be in play for Lance or Fields.

49ers Open To Drafting Trey Lance?

April 18th, 2021 at 9:05am CST by Rory Parks

The 49ers have been most heavily connected to Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, and many expect John Lynch & Co. to nab the Crimson Tide passer when they are on the clock with the No. 3 overall pick. But Trey Lance‘s Pro Day is tomorrow, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com says the Niners are heading into Lance’s showcase with a completely open mind (video link).

Fowler goes on to say that Lance could swing the pendulum in his favor if he performs well. As reported previously, the North Dakota State product will run drills that are favored by 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan in an effort to show that he can thrive in a system that on the surface appears to be best-suited to Jones. He will also have NFL staffers running his throwing session as opposed to his own coaches.

San Francisco attended Justin Fields‘ Pro Day earlier this week — his workout was also tailored to the 49ers’ system — and Shanahan has spoken with Fields’ pre-draft coach, John Beck, multiple times this offseason. According to Fowler, Fields was able to allay concerns that the Niners and other clubs have with respect to his decision-making ability with intelligent Zoom meetings where he discussed his thought processes and his gameday preparation.

Fowler sort of implies, however, that Fields is not really in the mix for the No. 3 pick, saying that if the 49ers don’t pick him, it’s not because they don’t like him, it’s because they love someone else. But on a recent segment on VSin, former NFL executive Michael Lombardi offers a much more straightforward take. Lombardi’s sources tell him that if San Francisco does not draft Jones, then Lance will be the pick, not Fields (video link).

Either way, none of those three signal-callers will have to wait too long to hear their names called. With a number of QB-needy clubs holding picks that put them in range for a player like Jones, Lance, or Fields — or at least make a trade up a reasonable proposition — we are expecting five signal-callers to be off the board within the first 10-12 selections.

Broncos To Attend Trey Lance’s Second Pro Day

April 17th, 2021 at 4:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ahead of a critical draft decision, the Broncos plan to keep looking into quarterbacks who could potentially be available when they go on the clock at No. 9.

Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is expected to attend Trey Lance‘s second pro day, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. The second-year Denver OC attended Justin Fields‘ second workout last week. Lance’s second pro day is set for Monday.

Broncos GM George Paton was at Lance’s first pro day, which occurred more than a month ago, but did not attend Fields’ second. Shurmur and Broncos director of pro personnel A.J. Durso trekked to Columbus for that workout. The Broncos will join the 49ers and Falcons, with select other teams likely set to attend the North Dakota State-hosted event as well, at Lance’s workout Monday.

Shurmur was not in Denver when the team drafted Drew Lock and saw the 2019 second-round pick tie for the league INT lead despite only finishing 12 games. The Broncos have been linked to both Lance and Fields in mock drafts, with quarterback being the team’s runaway top need. Paton has said the Broncos will add to their quarterback room, but they are not certain to do so via the draft.

Denver has added two starters to a promising defense this offseason, signing Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller, and has an intriguing array of skill-position targets on offense. But the franchise has started an NFL-high 10 quarterbacks since Peyton Manning‘s 2016 retirement, holding back ascension efforts in that span.

If nothing else, they represent a team that could take a quarterback. That could induce another franchise to trade in front of the Broncos or perhaps offer them an enticing trade package to pass on addressing their need at No. 9. Washington and Chicago are on this radar, and New England may well be. Washington is believed to be high on Lance but perhaps not so big on trading into the top five for him. Moving ahead of the Broncos could then be key in this pursuit.

Falcons To Attend Trey Lance’s Second Pro Day

April 17th, 2021 at 12:15pm CST by Ben Levine

While it isn’t a foregone conclusion that the Falcons will select a quarterback with the fourth-overall pick, they’re still making sure that they’re evaluating the top signal-callers. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets that the Falcons will be sending personnel to Trey Lance‘s second pro day on Monday at North Dakota State.

The Falcons were also in attendance at Lance’s first pro day, but as Pelissero notes, the organization will be sending three different coaches and/or scouts this time around. The organization did something similar with Justin Fields’ pro days, assuring that they get as many eyes on the prospects as possible.

With Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson presumed to be the first two selections in the draft, the drama will really pick up with the 49ers at No. 3. Reports indicate that San Francisco is leaning toward Mac Jones, which would leave the Falcons with one of Lance or Fields to choose from. Of course, the team could also opt for another position, and Pelissero notes that the front office continues to receive calls on their selection.

Lance will re-take the field ten days before the draft, and we’ve learned that at least the 49ers will be in attendance. There were also reports from earlier this week that Washington “loves” the North Dakota State product, so it’s reasonable to expect them to attend the pro day as they pursue a trade up from No. 19. Lance offers plenty of potential, as demonstrated in his 2019 season. That year, Lance went off for 28 passing touchdowns, zero interceptions, and 1,100 yards on the ground.

Poll: Who Will Falcons Draft At No. 4?

April 16th, 2021 at 6:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

This year’s draft is almost certain to begin with Trevor Lawrence going to the Jaguars and Zach Wilson to the Jets, making the 49ers’ No. 3 overall pick the beginning of what promises to be a drama-filled top 10. Just behind San Francisco, however, a team faces a more complicated decision.

Picking in the top five for the first time in 13 years, the Falcons hold the No. 4 overall selection. They have a few intriguing options; each would represent drastically different paths for the franchise. After previously not being on the same page about the pick, new GM Terry Fontenot and new HC Arthur Smith are believed to be in agreement now. Which way should the franchise go?

Fontenot was believed to be leaning toward acquiring Matt Ryan‘s heir apparent. There are reasons to support this route. Ryan will turn 36 this year, has not made a Pro Bowl — in the easiest era for such an honor — since his MVP 2016 season, and the Falcons have a rare opportunity to draft one of this year’s prized QB prospects. While late-blooming prospects will likely emerge, the 2022 quarterback class is not currently rated highly. Drafting Trey Lance, Mac Jones or Georgia native Justin Fields — two will be available — would give the Falcons a player around whom the new regime could build. The Falcons proceeding in this direction would make this the first time a draft has started with four quarterbacks being chosen.

When the duo was believed to be split, Smith was viewed as being in favor of selecting a player who could help a still-Ryan-centric team. With Ryan still an above-average quarterback, and the Falcons possessing needs elsewhere, a case certainly exists for the team to stay the course with its veteran passer. The Falcons having restructured Ryan’s contract earlier this year also would limit their benefit from a rookie-QB salary in 2022. The Jaguars and Jets have no veteran quarterback contract of note on their books, and the 49ers can part ways with Jimmy Garoppolo without much of a dead-cap hit. The Falcons have more than $40MM in Ryan signing bonus money prorated beyond 2021.

With the 49ers having traded up for a quarterback, the Falcons have the chance to take this year’s top non-QB prospect. Many experts believe that is Kyle Pitts, and many around the league expect the Falcons to draft the Florida tight end. Pitts said the Falcons are interested, and the 6-foot-6 pass catcher would team with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley to form an imposing aerial trio. The Falcons could also take Oregon tackle Penei Sewell. However, the team has 29-year-old left tackle Jake Matthews and used a first-round pick on right tackle Kaleb McGary in 2019.

Option 3 would be moving the pick. The Falcons are interested in moving down, likely eyeing the type of trade package the Dolphins received (three first-rounders and a third) to do so. Multiple teams have contacted the Falcons about moving up. Washington is believed to be high on Lance, while Broncos GM George Paton has been busy trekking to QBs’ pro days. The Bears are eager to acquire a long-term QB as well, though Washington and Chicago’s draft slots — Nos. 19 and 20 overall — would up Atlanta’s asking price.

So, how will the Falcons proceed? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

NFC West Notes: 49ers, Wright, Conner

April 13th, 2021 at 7:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Of the three high-end quarterback prospects expected to be available to the 49ers at No. 3 overall, Justin Fields has lagged behind the other two — Trey Lance and Mac Jones — in terms of being linked to San Francisco. But Kyle Shanahan has reached out to Fields’ pre-draft coach, former NFL QB John Beck, at points this offseason. Beck has overseen Fields’ pre-draft preparations and has taken over that role for Lance in recent weeks. Beck was with Washington when Shanahan served as the team’s OC.

“Knowing that I’ve been around (Fields) the last three months, he’ll reach out and just want to ask questions or talk,” Beck said, via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows (subscription required) of Shanahan. “And kind of like prod into: What are the things we’re working on, the things that I think having played in his system, having been coached by him, I know how he’s going to coach quarterbacks. I know what he’s looking for.”

Beck, who added that he has also spoken with 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters this offseason, incorporated 49ers concepts into Fields’ first pro day. Peters, 49ers QBs coach Rich Scangarello and college scouting director Ethan Waugh attended Fields’ first pro day. Beck will not attend Fields’ second showcase, but the 49ers will run the workout. Here is the latest from the NFC West:

With Trevor Lawrence almost certainly Jacksonville-bound and Zach Wilson on track to join the Jets, the 49ers’ QB preference has emerged as perhaps the draft’s top talking point. Few in the team’s building know which passer Shanahan prefers. He and John Lynch have only told “a couple” of people the quarterback they are targeting, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com said during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Podcast (video link). It will come down to Fields, Lance and Jones. Thus far, Jones may have a slight lead. While Shanahan and Lynch showed rare transparency following their trade up to No. 3, their secrecy within the building will continue to generate interest as to which QB Shanahan wants. Lynch and Shanahan opting to attend Jones’ pro day over Fields’ may have served as an early tell, but the 49ers are attending Fields and Lance’s second showcases.
K.J. Wright expressed interest in returning to the Seahawks but is not keen on taking a discount to re-sign. However, the veteran linebacker may have no choice. Wright may need to accept a deal that slashes his previous pay in half, John Clayton of 710 AM Seattle writes, adding that he is not getting “good vibes” another Wright-Seahawks accord may come to pass. Wright averaged $7MM in salary on his third Seahawks contract, which he signed in 2019. He was interested in joining ex-Seattle DC Dan Quinn in Dallas; nothing has emerged to indicate the Cowboys are pursuing Wright. The Seahawks moving on would make sense. They used a 2020 first-round pick on Jordyn Brooks and have Bobby Wagner signed to the top off-ball linebacker contract. Wright, 31, has played all 10 of his NFL seasons with Seattle.
New Cardinals running back James Conner underwent toe surgery recently. He suffered the injury in an ATV accident, he said Tuesday. The former Pro Bowl back is expected to be 100% by training camp.

Trey Lance, Justin Fields To Run 49ers Drills

April 13th, 2021 at 9:49am CST by Zachary Links

Justin Fields and Trey Lance are clearly gearing their workouts towards the 49ers. When they do their second pro days, both quarterbacks will run drills that are favored by Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, prospects are not able to do individual workouts for specific teams. That’s led to some scheduling conflicts throughout the process. As a result of that – plus their own separate chess game to keep their plans under wraps — Shanahan and GM John Lynch have yet to get an up-close look at Lance or Fields. Meanwhile, many believe that the Niners are leaning towards Alabama’s Mac Jones at No. 3 overall, so both players are eager to show their stuff. By tailoring their drills towards Shanahan, the hope is that they can unseat Jones for the most lucrative rookie contract possible.

Even if the Niners go with Jones, both quarterbacks seem likely to fall inside of the top ten. The Washington Football Team, for example, is said to be eyeing a trade up from No. 19 to grab Lance. Meanwhile, the Patriots will be on hand for Fields’ pro day — they would also have to slingshot up the board to guarantee his availability.

Washington Interested In Trey Lance?

April 9th, 2021 at 9:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

On Day 1 of the legal tampering period, Washington moved to add its bridge quarterback. Ryan Fitzpatrick joins Kyle Allen and Taylor Heinicke on Washington’s roster, and while he will have to win a competition for the QB1 job, it is expected Fitz will be the team’s starter. But Alex Smith‘s injury and Dwayne Haskins‘ quick exit leaves Washington without a long-term option. They may use this draft to acquire one.

Washington “loves” Trey Lance as a prospect and may be willing to part with considerable assets to acquire him, The Athletic’s Michael Lombardi said during his latest GM Shuffle podcast. Lance is expected to be drafted somewhere in the top 10. Washington holds the No. 19 overall pick.

How much capital Washington would be willing to part with for Lance may depend on how the draft unfolds, but moving up from No. 19 into Lance range may mean climbing 15 spots to No. 4 overall. Although the Chiefs and Texans made similar trades for Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson in 2017 — Kansas City climbing from No. 27 to No. 10 and Houston moving from No. 25 to No. 12 — and gave up just one future first-rounder to make those jumps (the Chiefs also threw in a third), the 49ers trading up from 12 to 3 this year took their 2021, ’22 and ’23 first-rounders and a 2021 third. The Falcons are open to dealing their No. 4 choice, but Washington would likely have to sacrifice future first-rounders and change to acquire that pick.

It does not sound like the Bengals are willing to trade down from No. 5 to 19. Were Lance to drop to No. 6, the Dolphins may be interested in accumulating another haul of picks. The rebuilding Lions (No. 7) would surely listen as well, should the North Dakota State prospect fall that far. The Panthers have indicated they are still interested in QBs at No. 8, even though Sam Darnold is Charlotte-bound, and the Broncos have not made a move to bolster their position. Denver has started an NFL-high 10 quarterbacks since 2016, and GM George Paton indicated the team will bolster its QB group this offseason.

Of course, the 49ers could render all of this moot if their trade-up was for Lance. Mac Jones has emerged as the early clubhouse leader to go third overall, but Lance is not out of the picture. Both Lance and Justin Fields will hold second pro days, seemingly with the partial purpose of Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch — who were not present at either’s initial workout — traveling to watch.

While a move into the top 10 would be costly, Washington does reside in an unusual situation. The team tried to land a long-term option by trading for Smith and extending him in 2018. After Smith’s injury, the team selected Haskins a year later. Haskins is now in Pittsburgh, having seen his stock crater after two rough Washington seasons. Fitzpatrick will turn 39 in December, and Allen and Heinicke are ex-UDFAs either coming off a major injury (Allen) or were out of football entering last season (Heinicke). Washington attempted to trade its first-rounder and change for Matthew Stafford and inquired on Darnold.

Lance is one of the most unusual prospects in modern draft history, having played one season at a Division I-FCS school. The 20-year-old QB played 17 college games, flashing immense promise as a dual-threat talent (28 TD passes, zero INTs, 1,100 rushing yards in 2019), but his profile points to him benefiting from a season developing in a backup role. With Fitzpatrick signed to a one-year deal, Washington could offer such an arrangement.

Trey Lance Set For Second Pro Day

April 9th, 2021 at 1:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Trey Lance’s second pro day has been officially scheduled. The North Dakota State product will show his stuff on April 19th, as ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen tweets.

Lance will re-take the field ten days before the draft and five days after Ohio State’s Justin Fields holds his second session on Wednesday, April 14. 49ers GM John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan did not attend Lance’s first session, so the hope is that they’ll show up for pro day part two. The Niners haven’t necessarily ruled out Lance. That showcase came before SF traded for the No. 3 overall pick, so Lynch and Shanahan kept their distance in order to keep their plans under wraps.

Depending on who you ask, Lance may be trailing Alabama’s Mac Jones in the bid to be drafted third overall. Still, Lance offers tons of potential, as demonstrated in his 2019 season. That year, Lance went off for 28 passing touchdowns, zero interceptions, and 1,100 yards on the ground.

Trey Lance Expected To Hold Second Pro Day

April 8th, 2021 at 9:16am CST by Sam Robinson

Trey Lance has successfully parlayed one season at the Division I-FCS level into a top-10 draft value. The North Dakota State quarterback is expected to be one of the first players chosen this year, but the unusual prospect is on track give teams another chance to study him soon.

While North Dakota State has not yet scheduled a second pro day for Lance, Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes another Lance workout is expected to take place (subscription required). Linked to making such preparations along with Justin Fields, Lance will follow Fields in this regard. The Ohio State prospect is planning to work out for teams again April 14.

John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan did not attend Lance’s pro day last month. The showcase came before San Francisco had acquired the No. 3 overall pick, and the franchise’s power duo did not want to invite suspicion about their plans before the team acquired the pick. It should then be expected 49ers brass will be on hand to watch Lance this time. No private workouts can take place leading up to this draft, with the COVID-19 pandemic nixing those for a second straight year.

Mac Jones has emerged as the early clubhouse leader to be drafted third overall. Jones would be expected to play behind Jimmy Garoppolo as a rookie, should the incumbent remain on the team in a Jones-to-San Francisco scenario. Lance would profile as a player who would benefit further by sitting for at least one season. Lance started as a freshman, leading the Bison to another FCS title, and played in one game as a sophomore before declaring for the draft. The 6-foot-3, 224-pound prospect dominated in his one season of competition (28 TD passes, no INTs, 1,100 rushing yards) but carries no experience against high-end college competition and will enter the NFL after a sophomore season that the pandemic nullified.

Should the 49ers pass on Lance at No. 3, he would be an option for a Falcons team that appears to be split on drafting a quarterback or the best non-QB available at No. 4. A host of teams would be on the trade-up radar for the two QBs that do not go in the top three, with the 2022 quarterback class (as of now) not generating considerable buzz.

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