Time To Make A Trade? 49ers Make Trey Lance No. 3 QB

The San Francisco 49ers made Trey Lance the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, hoping to develop him into their next franchise quarterback.

Instead, they got themselves a third stringer.

The 49ers reportedly made Sam Darnold their backup quarterback Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Media. That puts the former New York Jets and Carolina Panthers starter behind Brock Purdy on the depth chart, with Lance slipping to third string.

The decision to make Darnold the 49ers’ backup reportedly puts Lance’s future with the organization in doubt, which was made apparent as Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury reported he did not take the field with the rest of the team for Wednesday’s practice — San Francisco’s final workout before Friday night’s preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers.

It is unlikely that the 49ers allow Lance to just sit as the No. 3 quarterback, with a trade making much more sense for both sides. San Francisco won’t get very much in return for him, but cutting Lance outright after giving up two first-round picks for him isn’t going to happen.

The Minnesota Vikings could be a potential landing spot, as Rapoport reported there were talks about a potential Lance deal prior to the 2023 NFL Draft. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could also take a swing at developing the 23-year-old, while the Atlanta Falcons also have a need at the position. The New England Patriots have also been floated as a possible destination, though that seems unlikely at this point.

Brandon Allen has also been in camp with the 49ers, with head coach Kyle Shanahan praising him throughout the summer.