The San Francisco 49ers named Sam Darnold the backup quarterback behind Brock Purdy, leaving Trey Lance as the third string quarterback. With that said, it now begs the question where the Niners should send Lance should they decide to move him.

The 49ers quarterback situation has been interesting to follow over the past few years. San Francisco started Jimmy Garoppolo for years before trading three first-round picks to move up and acquire Lance with the third pick in the 2021 draft. Lance sat his rookie year behind Garoppolo before being named the starter ahead of the 2022 season.

Lance started two games, completing 15 of 31 passes for 194 yards, zero touchdowns, and an interception. He also rushed for 67 yards on 16 carries. Lance fractured his ankle in Week 2 of the 2022 season, which ended his campaign. Garoppolo took the starting job with Lance's injury before suffering an injury of his own. With Lance and Garoppolo out, Purdy took over as QB1.

Despite being the last pick of the 2022 draft, Purdy quickly emerged as a talented signal-caller. He had a great rookie campaign, leading San Francisco to the NFC Championship Game before going down with an injury.

With Garoppolo leaving for the Las Vegas Raiders and the 49ers bringing in former third overall pick Sam Darnold, a training camp battle ensued between Purdy, Darnold, and Lance. Purdy had the edge with his proven success and won the starting job.

It then came down to Darnold and Lance for the backup quarterback role. Darnold's impressive training camp earned him the backup role, leaving Lance as the odd man out. Lance did not report to training camp after, and the 49ers are expected to pursue a trade.

While Lance hasn't had success in the NFL so far, he has the talent and potential to be a quality quarterback with the right development. With that said, here are the best Trey Lance trade destinations after losing quarterback battle to Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold.

Best Trey Lance trade destinations after losing QB battle to Brock Purdy, Sam Darnold

4. Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings are an intriguing spot for Lance to land. Minnesota discussed a Lance trade with San Francisco prior to the 2023 draft. Minnesota has a solidified starter in place with Kirk Cousins, but while he is a quality quarterback, he is also in the final year of his deal.

Nick Mullens is a solid backup for the Vikings, with rookie 5th-round pick Jaren Hall as the third string quarterback. Prior to the draft, a Lance trade would have made more sense. However, the Vikings could still be in the mix as they look for a low-risk and high-upside quarterback to learn behind Cousins.

Lance's trade value is expected to be a late-round pick. If Minnesota believes they could develop Lance behind Cousins, it could give them a good transition once they are ready to move on from Cousins.

3. Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos are trying to recover from a disappointing 2022 season. Russell Wilson is the starting quarterback and had a tough first season with Denver. Wilson will look to have a bounce-back year with Payton as head coach.

However, Wilson is a 34-year-old quarterback, and Denver could take a chance on Lance and allow him to develop behind Wilson. With the cost being considered low to acquire Lance, the Broncos make sense as a team to take a chance on him.

2. Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams are another team to watch in the Lance sweepstakes. They have Matthew Stafford as their starter; however, he is another older quarterback and could be in the final years of his career.

Stafford would be another great quarterback for Lance to sit behind and learn from before getting a shot at the starting job. While the Rams may have interest in bringing in Lance, who is 23 with upside, the 49ers may not be willing to trade him with a division rival.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could make a trade for Lance as they have a question mark at their quarterback position. With Tom Brady retiring in the offseason, Tampa Bay signed former number one overall pick Baker Mayfield, who won the starting job in training camp. Tampa Bay's 2021 second-round pick, Kyle Trask, earned the backup quarterback spot.

While those were the results of the training camp battle for this season, the Buccaneers don't have a definitive franchise quarterback. Trading for Lance could give them another option to throw in the mix. Tampa Bay could look to develop Lance into the quarterback he was projected to be coming out of the draft.

A Lance trade will be interesting to follow over the next few weeks. Although he didn't work out with the 49ers, a new team could help him develop. The former 3rd overall pick is a low-risk, high-reward player for teams to consider.