San Francisco 49ers: Top 5 storylines to watch in 2021 training camp

No. 1: Jimmy Garoppolo vs. Trey Lance

As if it could be anything else.

The 49ers drafted quarterback Trey Lance No. 3 overall to take over for the incumbent, Jimmy Garoppolo. Now, the only question is when that transition takes place. Will it be in 2022 after Lance gets a full year to develop as a backup? Or will Lance close the gap so quickly, Garoppolo is then made expendable and the rookie assumes the starting job in Week 1?

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It seems to be an argument that changes weekly.

A safer bet would be for Garoppolo to start for the entirety of this upcoming season, although the reality is probably closer to Lance getting the nod at some point in the middle of the year, especially if Jimmy G’s injury history lingers over into 2021.

At any point, fans will want to know and understand just how close the competition between the two is getting. Lance, despite his relative inexperience at the collegiate level, certainly has the tools to make this a heated competition, while Garoppolo has been fully immersed in Kyle Shanahan’s complex offense for the better part of four years.

Either way, one can expect the full brunt of Niners training camp storylines to be centered around these two and just how tight the battle to start for San Francisco is getting.