NFL Insider Thinks Trey Lance Will Be Benched By Midseason

Just days from now, the San Francisco 49ers will take the field for their first game of the regular season against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.

It will be the debut of Trey Lance as the team’s full-time starter at quarterback (he started two games last year when Jimmy Garoppolo was unavailable).

Many are optimistic about Lance’s ability to help the 49ers be a Super Bowl contender, but naturally, there are questions about him.

If he goes through a particularly rough stretch, there is at least a possibility that head coach Kyle Shanahan would bench him, although it would likely only be temporary.

Peter King of Pro Football Talk, however, predicted that Garoppolo will become San Francisco’s starter again by Week 7.

“QB changes: Kenny Pickett for Mitchell Trubisky in mid-October, Drew Lock yo-yos with Geno Smith starting in late October, Jimmy Garoppolo for Trey Lance prior to facing Kansas City in week seven, Desmond Ridder for Marcus Mariota in November, Tyrod Taylor for Daniel Jones in December,” King wrote on Monday.

It’s premature to make an exact prediction on how Lance will do this season, but it is certainly conceivable that he could relinquish his starting job at some point.

Lance Has Potential, But He’s Inexperienced

In two preseason games, as well as his limited playing time in 2021, Lance has shown at least some ability to connect on the long ball, something Garoppolo doesn’t have in his toolkit.