49ers CEO gets candid on Trey Lance's future with Brock Purdy decision looming
Are the San Francisco 49ers worried about Trey Lance with Brock Purdy looming? Owner and CEO Jed York doesn't believe the team made a mistake by moving up to select Lance with the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
Brock Purdy stepped in for an injured Trey Lance and an injured Jimmy Garoppolo to lead the 49ers to the NFC Championship game. Naturally, that raised questions about what they should do moving forward.
Do they start their third overall pick or do they continue to go with the hot hand and the quarterback that took them to the NFC Championship game?
York said via NFL.com:
"I wouldn't change anything that we've made about the decision with Trey. I think Trey has a chance to be great. But it's a bonus when you get somebody at the end of the seventh round that ends up coming in and being very impactful for your team.
"There's a delta in what you're spending on your quarterback versus what somebody else is spending in their quarterback. And I hope one of these three guys gets a massive, massive extension with the San Francisco 49ers at some point. But until then, we're going to make sure we build this thing around a young quarterback with a very team-friendly contract."
York admitted that it wasn't Lance's fault that he got injured and thus has only been in a few games in his NFL career thus far. Still, the 49ers clearly have an interesting choice to make as Purdy recovers from elbow surgery.
Are the 49ers going with Trey Lance or Brock Purdy?
It's hard to swallow trading up to three overall for a guy who might not even be better than the final pick in a later draft, but that may be what has happened.
GM John Lynch, who drafted both players, said that Brock Purdy may be the starter - not Trey Lance. He said via ESPN:
"I think Brock has earned the right with the way he played that he's probably the leader in the clubhouse at that. I'll let Kyle make those kinds of decisions but I know when we talk, Brock has probably earned that right to be the guy. If we were to line up, he'd probably take that first snap."
Mr. Irrelevant could be starting over the third overall pick in the 2023 season.