Over the last couple of weeks, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance has received a lot of criticism from around the league. He has not looked great on the field, but has not looked bad either. Quite simply, his time with the 49ers should come to an end and a fresh start elsewhere could be exactly what he needs to get his career back on track.
Plenty of rumors have begun coming out that Lance could be traded before the start of the 2023 season. At the very least, he could be moved before the trade deadline.
One team that has come out frequently as a potential trade destination for Lance is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Currently, the Bucs have Kyle Trask and Baker Mayfield battling for their starting job. Adding Lance to the mix, especially long-term, could make a ton of sense.
ESPN’s Seth Walder recently shared a trade scenario that would send Lance to the Buccaneers. It certainly seems like a deal that would make perfect sense for all parties involved.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers receive: QB Trey Lance, 2024 second-round pick, 2024 sixth-round pick
San Francisco 49ers receive: 2024 second-round pick, 2024 third-round pick
“The Bucs aren’t contenders in 2023, so their moves should be focused on saving money and acquiring draft assets. But there’s one exception to that framework: chasing quarterback upside. They might as well use the upcoming 17 games as a testing ground for a potential future QB — even if he’s a long shot. That precisely describes Lance. If there’s a 10% chance that Lance can become a long-term solution for the Bucs, that’s still a lot higher than Baker Mayfield’s chances to be that guy.”
Acquiring Lance would be a very smart gamble for the 49ers. Being able to do so by simply giving up a second-round pick swap and a third-round pick would be a no-brainer. Lance was taken with the No. 3 overall pick back in 2021 for a reason.
Throughout his short career with the 49ers so far, Lance has played in just eight games. He has completed just 54.9 percent of his pass attempts for 797 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. In addition to his passing numbers, he has racked up 235 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
At just 23 years of age, it is way too early to give up on Trey Lance’s talent. He deserves another chance with another team. The Buccaneers could be exactly the right team for him.
Expect to continue hearing rumors and rumblings coming out of San Francisco about Lance. The Buccaneers may not end up pursuing a trade for him, but they would make sense as a potential suitor.
