The mandatory portion of the 49ers’ offseason program is over, but second-year quarterback Trey Lance isn’t taking that as a cue to leave the facility. According to a report from NBC Sports Bay Area’s Jennifer Lee Chan, Lance will stick around the facility to get more work in ahead of training camp.
Via NBC Sports Bay Area:
Team sources told NBC Sports Bay Area on Sunday that the sophomore quarterback is expected to remain in Santa Clara for an additional week of work on a voluntary basis.
It may not seem like a lot, but an additional week of work with teammates and at the facility could prove invaluable for Lance, who could use all the reps he can get.
The on-field benefits are obvious, but what this also signals is some of the leadership coaches have talked about with Lance this offseason. Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans and others have lauded the 22-year-old for the way he’s taken ownership of the leadership role that comes with being a starting quarterback.
“Trey has done a great job,” Ryans said during OTAs. “It’s good to see him just coming into his own role as a leader and being able to take control of the team. We’re fired up for Trey and what he can do for us.”
Sticking around for an additional week of voluntary work will go as another mark in the leadership column for Lance. It’s an unquantifiable quality, but one that matters as much as any other with a starting quarterback. It was also a sizable question mark given how much the locker room likes QB Jimmy Garoppolo.
Ultimately checking leadership boxes will only get Lance so far. He’ll need to perform well on the field for any of the offseason stuff to matter. For now though his extra week of voluntary workouts is a good sign for the 49ers and for Lance’s continued development in his first year as a starting QB.
