This was supposed to be the year that the San Francisco 49ers go all-in on Trey Lance. For better or for worse, committing fully to their young quarterback would enable them to understand what they're working with – a true trial by fire.

Instead, a gruesome ankle injury robbed Trey Lance of that opportunity and thrust Jimmy Garoppolo back into the Niners starting role that he's held over the past half decade.

In this day and age, waiting three seasons for a young quarterback to show anything worth investing in is quite a long time. But based on the latest indications from the 49ers camp, they're still completely ready to ride the Trey Lance train once it's finally ready to leave the station again.

Trey Lance has a recovering timeline of 4-6 months after he broke his fibula and tore his deltoid and sesamoid ligaments in his ankle. The #49ers remain firmly committed to him, sources say.

There could be a tinge of sunk cost when it comes to the 49ers' deliberations on Trey Lance. They gave up draft capital to move up to third overall and select him in the 2021 NFL Draft. Pulling the plug at this point just seems like a waste of time and resources.

But at the same time, it's tough to give up on a young quarterback who hasn't even been given enough chances to shine. It's one thing if he plays particularly terrible for a prolonged stretch. It's another to see him get minimal burn and log just four total starts in two seasons.

Wherever one stands on Trey Lance, it's clear that his third 49ers season could very well be considered make-or-break when the time comes.