San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said the team did not speak with quarterback Trey Lance about a potential trade.
When it comes to quarterback positions across the NFL, none have been as intriguing as the San Francisco 49ers. They had Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo get injured during the regular season, and their third-string option Brock Purdy make it to the NFC Championship Game, only to seriously hurt his elbow. This offseason, Lance is competing for the starter's job, Purdy is recovering from elbow surgery, and Sam Darnold is battling Lance for reps.
Lance has been the subject of trade talk throughout this offseason, with Purdy likely to be the starter. Not to mention that Purdy is on track to be ready for Week 1. So, would the team trade Lance?
While speaking with the media on Tuesday, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked if he had spoken to Lance or his agent about a potential trade if Purdy is ready to go for Week 1. Shanahan's reply?
"No."
Kyle Shanahan says the team hasn't spoken to Trey Lance about a potential trade
Shanahan's answer may be no right now. But in professional sports, fans know that things can change.
Back in April, NFL Network national insider Ian Rapoport reported that the 49ers fielded calls from teams interested in Lance.
The team gave up a bounty of draft picks in 2021 to move up to the No. 3 overall spot to take a quarterback not named Trevor Lawrence or Zach Wilson. With there being buzz the 49ers wanted Mac Jones, and the team ultimately selected Lance out of North Dakota State. Lance didn't start in his rookie season as they were going for what was supposed to be "one last hurrah" for Garoppolo.
In 2022, Lance got his first crack as the team's starter. He had a rough time in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears, throwing for 164 yards and one interception while completing 13-of-28 pass attempts. Then in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks, Lance fractured his ankle, effectively ending his season. With that, Garoppolo became the starter until he broke his foot in Week 13, paving the way for Purdy to step in, and lead the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game.
The 2023 season is a couple of months away, so things can change. As of now, the 49ers have not had talks with Lance about a trade. But what is to happen if Purdy is cleared and named the starting quarterback? We'll have to wait and see if that's the case.