Just under two and a half years ago, the 49ers made a trade that appeared to set themselves up for the future. San Francisco shipped three draft picks to the Dolphins for the rights to draft quarterback Trey Lance, a development the team successfully kept close to the vest for much of the 2021 draft cycle.
Strange things have happened between then and now, however. First, Lance hurt his ankle in the second game of the 2022 season. Then, rookie seventh-round pick Brock Purdy emerged as a solid quarterback—solid enough, in fact, to lead the 49ers to the NFC championship game.
With Purdy seemingly in line to start and Sam Darnold slated for backup duty, Lance’s days in San Francisco appear numbered. The NFL’s talking class had a lot to say about the 49ers’ move in hindsight, very little of it good.
