49ers vs. Cardinals: 3 things Trey Lance must do in first NFL start

Well, it looks as if the 49ers will finally start rookie Trey Lance in Week 5 against the undefeated Cardinals, and he has some things to accomplish.

It’s official. The San Francisco 49ers will start their top pick from the 2021 NFL Draft, quarterback Trey Lance, in Week 5 against the undefeated Arizona Cardinals.

Lance will get his first-ever NFL start against the NFC West’s top team in the wake of the previous starter, Jimmy Garoppolo, suffering a calf injury during the Niners’ Week 4 loss versus the Seattle Seahawks. Garoppolo exited at halftime during that game, giving way to Lance, who finished out the second half with two passing touchdowns but also a number of scrambling runs when he couldn’t identify his passing options.

“Some good, some bad,” as head coach Kyle Shanahan said during his postgame presser.

At least Lance got all the first-team reps in the week of practice leading up to Week 5, though, which should hopefully make a positive difference in the No. 3 overall draft pick’s development. And while there may be moments where Lance looks like, well… a rookie, the hope is his dynamic playmaking abilities and skill set will help offset any inexperience and jitters he could have.

Considering San Francisco is desperate to avoid falling below .500 and effectively out of contention for the division just past the first-quarter mark of the season, Lance having a promising debut against Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is going to be vital to the 49ers’ chances.

In order to find some success on Sunday, Lance needs to check off the following items from his Week 5 to-do list.