In the wake of the 49ers’ decision to have Sam Darnold as the team’s backup quarterback, coach Kyle Shanahan expressed a desire for now third-string quarterback Trey Lance to remain with the team.
The NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reported that San Francisco was “exploring options” with Lance, and that his future was unclear. Shanahan, meanwhile, said he was “really hoping” Lance would remain with the 49ers.
“This isn’t a thing where we’re giving up on Trey … You only get so many reps at it,” Shanahan said, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. “We feel starting about 10 days ago Sam really separated himself, and we got to keep it real in that way.”