In a surprising turn of events, the San Francisco 49ers opted not to trade quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, but to retain him and restructure a one-year contract to ensure his stay in 2022. After months of rumors that a Garoppolo trade was near and that projected starter Trey Lance was turning heads in practice, the 49ers did exactly what everyone thought they wouldn't do.
It's definitely interesting to view the Garoppolo decision through the lens of Lance, who had to sit behind the former for virtually his entire rookie season.
So, how did the second-year pro react to the news? 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed Lance's initial reaction to the fact that the franchise would not be trading Garoppolo, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Kyle Shanahan on his QBs: “When I told Trey that Jimmy's going to come back, he's like, ‘Awesome. That dude was awesome for me last year. I can't wait to be the same way.’ ”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 30, 2022
Per Schefter, Trey Lance said “awesome” when he learned that Jimmy Garoppolo would be coming back. Lance went on to say that his fellow 49ers quarterback was “awesome for him last year” and that he “can't wait to be the same way.”
It's perfectly reasonable for Lance to think it's “awesome” that Garoppolo wasn't traded. The latter is surely a great teammate.
But no one would blame Trey Lance for feeling disappointed. For all intents and purposes, the 49ers starting job was supposed to be Lance's, no questions asked.
He's still the man in San Fran. However, there's definitely a bit more uncertainty about how firm his grip is on the job now than there would have been had Garoppolo been dealt.
And no matter what Trey Lance says, that can't be a very “awesome” feeling.
Follow Us
Subscribe