49ers vs. Packers: 4 key preseason questions that need answers

Key question No. 4: How comfortable does Trey Lance look leading 49ers offense?

Quarterback Trey Lance is unlikely to get more than a quarter of reps against the Packers, and it’s even more unlikely he’ll have the complete 49ers offensive arsenal alongside him. His counting stats may look unimpressive, and they should be taken with an enormous pinch of salt.

What is much harder to gauge quantitatively, but much more important for the Niners is whether Lance is comfortable in control of the offense.

Last year, against the Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans, Lance was explosive and inconsistent, and the offense followed suit. It was visually apparent how Lance grew in control of the offense as the games would progress, especially against the Texans where head coach Kyle Shanahan let the offense run naturally.

This year, though, Lance has had the benefit of a completely normal offseason as the starter. His training camp production has been inconsistent but incrementally improving. How Lance is able to operate within the flow of the offense when it’s a little more suited towards attacking a defense, and the team isn’t hitting its own players, will be more meaningful than anything else he does.

Does he show an improvement in reading the defense, commanding the huddle, in getting the offense set and in rhythm?

It’s less important whether the throws are completed for Lance right now; San Francisco should be trying to see how the setup fares.