49ers roster 2021: Trey Lance can start his rookie season

Trey Lance’s projected role, impact for 49ers

There’s no questioning Trey Lance is the presumed heir apparent for Jimmy Garoppolo and San Francisco’s long-term quarterbacking situation. The 49ers didn’t trade up to No. 3 overall for any other reason.

Yet Lance and the Niners have the benefit of not having to rush into a situation where he starts prematurely. San Francisco’s offense, despite being far from perfect, still has enough weaponry around Lance to assist with his development regardless of his time as a starter comes in Week 1 or even in 2022.

San Francisco 49ers

The prediction, however, is likely somewhere in between.

Week 1 is a lofty goal for Lance to start. But Garoppolo still has far more experience and a better command of the system. Right now. If Garoppolo and the 49ers struggle early, though, perhaps a switch to Lance takes place in Week 7 after the Niners’ bye week.

It’s also reasonable to assume Lance gets pushed into the mix late in the season, should San Francisco wind up falling well short of expectations and emerging out of the playoff picture by, let’s say, Week 12 or so.

There’s also the injury factor.

Garoppolo is coming off two seasons in three years where he’s dealt with serious injuries, meaning there’s a good chance the 49ers are forced to start Lance by default, not unlike what they had to do back in 2012 when then-quarterback Alex Smith lost his starting job to an up-and-coming Colin Kaepernick, and Kap never looked back.

Needless to say, the speculation about Lance’s first game as a starter is just about as wide open as his net potential within the league.