San Francisco 49ers General Manager John Lynch insists he's noticed improvements in quarterback Trey Lance, despite him struggling during offseason workouts.
Lance has struggled to produce training camp results to convince the 49ers to make him their starting quarterback heading into Week 1 of next season. Lance is currently competing for the backup position behind Brock Purdy, who underwent surgery to fix a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow on March 10. Purdy was given the green light to practice last Wednesday, and Lance and Sam Darnold took turns during practice to secure their spot on the depth chart.
NFL Media in attendance for the team's offseason workouts reported that while Lance had a good day throwing the ball, he still didn't do enough to separate himself from the competition. Lance was said to "swing for the fences" while throwing the ball, looking for opportunities to push the ball down the field.
"He's throwing the football a lot better," 49ers general manager John Lynch said. "His base is better. Some of his mechanics are better. Those things are showing up on the field. So I'm not just proud of him for his attitude, leadership, and resiliency. I'm proud of what I'm seeing out there."
"His base is better. Some of his mechanics are better. Those things are showing up on the field. So I'm not just proud of him for his attitude, leadership, and resiliency. I'm proud of what I'm seeing out there."
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"And I know there's been a lot of talk about the opportunities he's not getting. I'm proud of him for what he's doing with the opportunities he is getting. And there's a plan. He'll continue to earn these opportunities, and he'll have plenty to show who he is. He can't get enough. There's no doubt about that."
During the short game throws, Lance struggled and only completed one pass out of four attempts. Two of his three misses were labeled as "give mes," missing an opportunity to convert easy first downs, which was an early struggle during his career. It's also been reported that the returning Purdy and Darnold initially outperformed the 23-year-old.
Trey Lance faces a battle to reclaim the starting spot from Brock Purdy (AP)Last March, Lynch declared Purdy the team's starting quarterback. Despite Purdy being selected with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have repeatedly called the former Iowa State Cyclones QB their lockerroom leader.
With Purdy's starting role solidified Lance can focus on getting better, specifically with his mechanics of throwing the football. Before their first practice session of the season, Lynch revealed improvements he's witnessed in Lance from last year to now in those categories.
Before camp, 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan, players George Kittle, and Deebo Samuel have all praised the third-year QB's ability to step up in the pocket and confident when throwing the ball. However, despite noticing improvements, Lance's offseason performances have opened the door to slide down the depth chart.
Lance is determined to become a top quarterback and has taken all possible measures to achieve his goal. Last April, he trained with reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and worked with private quarterbacks coaches Adam Dedeaux and John Beck at 3DQB in Southern California. The pair of coaches are known for developing successful quarterbacks such as Matthew Stafford, Jalen Hurts, and Dak Prescott.
"I'm very present-mind focused," Lance said. "Every rep, one rep at a time, one day at a time, one meeting at a time."
"Whatever it is, I truly believe everything works out exactly how it's supposed to. So as long as I control what I can control, that's all I can worry about."
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