4 things Trey Lance will need to show 49ers in training camp
By Peter Panacy
Trey Lance gave the 49ers plenty of reasons to hope during offseason workouts so far, but training camp will wind up being a different animal.
Based on nearly every media report out there, San Francisco 49ers second-year quarterback Trey Lance did everything he needed to do (and more) during the Niners’ phase of offseason workouts thus far, including organized team activities and mandatory minicamp.
Of course, none of this is game-time context, and fans can only turn to the two starts and some change he had during his rookie season for actual film breakdown and analysis.
Still, so far, so good in 2022.
San Francisco has a break until training camp, which kicks off in late July and will lead Lance and Co. into the preseason. It’s there where there’ll be a ramp-up in intensity, paralleling the players donning pads and actually being allowed to engage in physical contact.
And it’s also there where Lance will have to prove to head coach Kyle Shanahan and his staff that taking over the QB1 role isn’t a question mark but an assertion.
No. 4 thing Trey Lance needs to show: Ability to target starting cornerbacks
Through much of OTAs and minicamp, Lance was effectively going up against second-team defensive backs, particularly at corner.
Charvarius Ward, the 49ers’ high-profile free-agent pickup this offseason, didn’t partake in practices available to the media, and presumed No. 2 boundary cornerback Jason Verrett is still working his way back from last year’s ACL tear.
That left fellow cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and a number of other corners, many of whom won’t be making the 53-man roster, in line to defend against Lance’s receiving targets.
Additionally, the nature of OTAs and minicamp doesn’t allow for press-man coverage, usually meaning wide receivers get free releases from the line of scrimmage and are able to gain 3 or more yards in space.
That won’t be the case in camp when cornerbacks will be allowed to bump and run at the snap.
How Lance adjusts to this might impact what was otherwise an impressive practice rapport so far.