Trey Lance preseason effort vs. Packers gives us hope

Although he only played two series in his 2022 preseason debut versus the Packers, Trey Lance did more than enough to bolster 49ers fans’ hopes.

It can be hard to take much valuable information away from an NFL preseason game. Not all starters play, and those that do typically barely make it through the first quarter.

And yet, with football back on TV, we all can’t help but watch.

San Francisco 49ers fans had something more to watch for as new starting quarterback Trey Lance made his 2022  preseason debut against the Green Bay Packers after his first full offseason as the team’s starter. As expected, Lance only played in the team’s first two offensive series. Given that many of the  Packers starters were out, it can be hard to glean anything certain from this game.

But one thing all Niners fans can take away is hope for the team with Lance at the helm.

The first reason why is, well, Lance had about as good of a game as one could hope for the second-year quarterback.

Or really, any quarterback, given the perfect passer rating he achieved.

There isn’t much to improve upon there. In his limited action, Lance showed that he can play at the NFL level.

It’s easy to see why 49ers fans should have hope looking at that stat line. Not to mention he did that without top offensive weapons like Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle on the field to catch passes.

Although based on Lance’s final throw of the night, rookie wide receiver Danny Gray may not be too much of a step-down:

Trey Lance adds vertical passing threat to 49ers offense

Besides being the highlight of Lance’s night, that play also sums up perfectly another reason San Francisco fans should be hopeful. There is now a new element to the 49ers’ offense: a deep passing attack.

In previous years under head coach Kyle Shanahan, the Niners’ passing attack primarily focused on quick strikes over the middle of the field. Now with Lance, San Francisco has a quarterback who wants to extend plays and push the ball deep.

Lance showcased that in his few appearances in the 2021 season as well, and after seeing his deep ball again, it is clear Shanahan is excited to air the ball out and attack defenses deep.

At the very least, that should give 49ers fans hope there should be more highlights like this to come. Additionally, Lance showcased his ability to make plays with his legs as well, rushing for seven yards on a scramble early in the game.

This should give Niners fans hope, too.

Related Story: Trey Lance, 49ers youth drop the Packers in preseason opener

Despite the perfect passer rating in his 2022 preseason debut, Lance is going to have struggles as he adjusts to the NFL in the regular season. Coming from an FCS school at North Dakota State and only starting two games as San Francisco’s backup last season, Lance will take some time to time to fully get up to pro-level speed.

Being able to tuck and run when he doesn’t like his passing options will be important for Lance to fall back on as he grows more and more comfortable in the NFL. This should give 49ers fans hope that the offense will still be able to produce while Lance endures the inevitable bumps that are to come.

All in all, Lance’s near-perfect preseason debut has given Niners fans plenty of reason to hope, especially in terms of the team’s new deep passing attack, and their quarterback’s ability to use his legs to make something out of nothing.