49ers news: Trey Lance, Deebo Samuel and other minicamp takeaways

The 49ers kicked off their first day of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, and there are some notable points to make from these first required practices.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan elected to scratch the final week of organized team activities while kickstarting the Niners’ next phase of offseason workouts, mandatory minicamp.

Day one of minicamp kicked off on Tuesday, June 7 outside of Levi’s Stadium.

There were some pretty rapid developments leading up to this required practice session. Perhaps the biggest difference between the OTA period, mandatory minicamp is, well… mandatory. Unless a player is actually excused, of course.

San Francisco isn’t requiring quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to attend, as he rehabilitates from offseason shoulder surgery, and it appears as if the 49ers are still on track to try trading him at some point later between now and Week 1 once he’s fully recovered.

That means all the first-team reps will go to fellow signal-caller Trey Lance, as was the case during OTAs.

Getting Lance some extra field time and experience is going to be vital for the Niners to maximize their top investment from the 2021 NFL Draft.

And by nearly every account, Lance is seizing the opportunity, as we’ll break down in our top takeaways from day one of minicamp.

49ers minicamp takeaway No. 1: Trey Lance has his best practice yet

As is always the case with padless practices without actual tackling or physical contact, it’s important to take Lance’s production under center with a grain of salt. However, what would be more concerning is if Lance was struggling in this context without a real pass rush and without receiving targets being able to get off the line of scrimmage minus the usual bump-and-run coverage at the snap.

Well, Lance isn’t struggling here.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Grant Cohn, Lance went 14-of-18 with four touchdown passes and a lone interception, one which bounced off wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s chest.

Getting a fuller crop of offensive weapons is certainly beneficial, and the signs are beginning to point to Lance taking full ownership.

This development will be vital for the second-year quarterback, especially as he looks to gain both the confidence and chemistry needed when intensity picks up during training camp and the preseason later this summer.

49ers minicamp takeaway No. 2: Deebo Samuel is back

One of the more noteworthy developments in the hours counting down to mandatory minicamp was the reported news All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel would physically attend, seemingly ending his long standoff with San Francisco amid contract-extension talks.

The 49ers could have fined Samuel if he opted not to attend these practices, and those fines would go from possible to required if he ended up skipping training camp.

With Samuel present, however, it’s looking as if those possibilities are coming to a close.

Granted, Samuel didn’t partake in practices and was seen working on the sideline instead of with the offense:

However, one could make the point this is in excess of what Samuel could have physically done during minicamp, as he could have easily just attended but stood idle instead of working out.

Had he done so, it would have been considered a “hold-in” instead of a hold-out, yet the associated would-be fines likely wouldn’t be levied.

Either way, this is a good development for both Samuel and the 49ers, and it might suggest talks surrounding an extension have progressed significantly.

49ers minicamp takeaway No. 3: Heavy-hitters Nick Bosa, Trent Williams are back

Deebo Samuel wasn’t the only notable name to make his offseason debut to the Niners on day one of minicamp.

San Francisco welcomed back two of its most important players, All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams and Pro Bowl EDGE Nick Bosa, both of whom opted to skip OTAs while holding their own separate workout ramp-ups towards the regular season.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan had already told reporters he expected both Williams and Bosa to be in attendance for mandatory minicamp, so that’s not too big a surprise.

And, perhaps jokingly, Shanahan was happy to see Bosa:

Bosa, like Samuel, is eligible for what should be a lucrative contract extension, but the news surrounding that development has been much quieter than that with Samuel.

Also like Samuel, having Bosa physically at practices should be a huge boost to the 49ers’ team chemistry.

49ers minicamp takeaway No. 4: Trent Williams, Aaron Banks to comprise left side of O-line

Trent Williams’ status and role for the Niners in 2022 isn’t a question. He’ll be the starting left tackle, without doubt.

And San Francisco’s plan for the left guard spot in the wake of Laken Tomlinson departing in free agency for the New York Jets this offseason wasn’t necessarily a huge question either, but day one of minicamp showed just what the 49ers are planning on doing anyway.

Second-year guard Aaron Banks, the Niners’ Round 2 pick from the 2021 draft, spent almost all of his rookie season as a backup, seeing only five regular-season snaps in what many deemed a lost year for the former Notre Dame standout.

However, it’s possible San Francisco’s long-term plan was to have Banks step into this role a year after he was drafted, and initial lineups from practice showcased this with the guard lining up next to Williams with the first team:

The 49ers have some key question marks along their offensive line, particularly in the wake of Pro Bowl center Alex Mack retiring just days before minicamp began. Yet it appears they don’t want to make the left guard spot an open-ended question, giving Banks every opportunity to seize the starting job right away.

Lining up next to Williams should help in that regard a lot.

Day two of mandatory minicamp will be on Wednesday, June 8.