A lot of attention has been given to San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance. Their current situation at the position this offseason has garnered a lot of headlines itself. But, with Brock Purdy healthy and participating in training camp, it ended the discussions of who the starter would be in Week 1; general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have always said, Purdy is the starter when healthy.
That has left Trey Lance and Sam Darnold battling for the No. 2 job behind him. While the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft was taking a large chunk of the first team snaps during the offseason, there have been rumblings that Darnold could win the backup job.
Things have yet to go according to plan with the 49ers for Trey Lance, whom the team traded up to select in the 2021 NFL Draft. He backed up Jimmy Garoppolo as a rookie before being handed the starting job last season. But, he didn’t even last six quarters in the lineup before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.
Potentially the third quarterback on the 49ers depth chart heading into the season, Trey Lance has been the subject of some trade rumors. There are certainly a few teams that would be a fit for him, providing him an opportunity to become the starter down the road.
But, one football writer suggested an interesting landing spot for Trey Lance. Henry McKenna of Fox Sports believes that the Buffalo Bills could be an intriguing landing spot for the North Dakota State product. McKenna admits that the idea is a bit out there, but would make some sense for both teams.
“A trade for Lance would be a little crazy, I’ll admit. At the same time, the 49ers really don’t seem to value their former first-round pick anymore,” McKenna wrote. “It might make some sense to trade for Lance and develop him behind Allen. Lance’s skill set is comparable to what Allen was as a rookie. If Lance costs a conditional mid-round pick, the Bills and 49ers might agree to terms.”
With a franchise quarterback already in place with Josh Allen, Buffalo isn’t a place Trey Lance likely wants to land if he wants to start any time soon. But, playing behind Allen and continuing to gain experience could lead him to a starting job down the road.
Being the No. 3 quarterback in San Francisco wouldn’t benefit Trey Lance at all. If that is what the franchise opts to do, getting traded would be in his best interest.
