49ers' Shanahan: Lance can make it 'with us or someone else' in future
After demoting quarterback Trey Lance to the team's No. 3 quarterback, head coach Kyle Shanahan believes the former first-round pick can still make it in the league.
"I also don't think Trey, this means that he can't be with us or someone else ever in the future," Shanahan said, according to Grant Gordon of NFL Network. "I mean this is just where camp went right now."
The 49ers will explore trade options for Lance, with the Minnesota Vikings a potential landing spot, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The Vikings called the 49ers before the 2023 draft about a potential trade for Lance.
Shanahan gave Lance permission to sit out of practice Wednesday after the quarterback received the news.
"We had such a light practice today, watching how Trey was when we talked, we thought it was better to 'hey, take the day off, clear your head some, we'll talk later in the afternoon and get you back in there tomorrow," Shanahan told KNBR radio.
Lance lost the backup quarterback job to Sam Darnold, who signed a one-year deal with the 49ers this offseason. Darnold, a former first-round pick, spent the last two seasons with the Carolina Panthers after being dealt by the New York Jets in 2021.
Lance was selected third overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. The 49ers traded three first-round picks to the Miami Dolphins to move up and select the North Dakota State product.
The 23-year-old has only started four games in two seasons with the team after dealing with a rash of injuries. He suffered a broken finger in the 2021 preseason and dealt with a knee sprain during the year. He opened as the team's starter last season but broke his ankle in Week 2, ending his sophomore campaign.
"When he broke his finger, it really kind of messed him up and took away his first year for him," Shanahan said, per Gordon.
Shanahan added that Lance will come in after Darnold in the 49ers' final preseason contest against the Los Angeles Chargers.
San Francisco kicks off its season Sept. 10 versus the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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