49ers news: Insider reveals Trey Lance had no trade market, Brock Purdy likely QB1

In the weeks leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft, there was no shortage of speculation the San Francisco 49ers would potentially move quarterback Trey Lance, the high-profile grab they aggressively moved up for two years earlier in the 2021 draft.

Two years later, it appears as if the Niners are in a position to move on from Lance, who has just four regular-season starts under his belt and whose first-year-starting campaign in 2022 was ultimately cut short by a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2.

And, thanks to the ascent of last year's rookie phenom, Brock Purdy, Lance appears to be a lame duck entering 2023 despite the fact Purdy is recovering from offseason elbow surgery.

With more and more evidence suggesting San Francisco would trade Lance around the 2023 NFL Draft, it was fair to wonder if the 49ers would ultimately give up on their prized investment from two years before.

No trade happened, though. And while there were reports that the Niners didn't have a trade market for Lance anyway, one notable ESPN insider corroborated such earlier this week.

ESPN's Adam Schefter says 49ers didn't have 'a lot of interest in Trey Lance'

Joining The Pat McAfee Show, ESPN's Adam Schefter was asked about the situation going on with the Niners, and more specifically, what the deal with Lance was in regards to a potential trade.

According to Schefter, and backing up previous reports of the same, San Francisco didn't have a trade market for Lance.

"There really was never a lot of interest in Trey Lance," Schefter said (h/t 49ers Webzone) "For what they gave up and what they get back, which is not very much at all, it doesn't make sense to trade him. There was no trade market, and Kyle Shanahan has said that they didn't have any trade talks with teams. He's not going anywhere right now."

Considering both Purdy and Lance are on their inexpensive rookie contracts, and both are also coming off serious injuries, Schefter's point about not needing to trade Lance holds a lot of merit.

However, in the middle of the draft last April, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport suggested the 49ers could wait until later this offseason to potentially find a suitor for Lance, perhaps in August after training camp has started and once the preseason is in full swing.

Particularly if another team's starting quarterback suffers a significant injury.

Adam Schefter also says Brock Purdy is 'the guy' for the 49ers

During the same appearance, Schefter reaffirmed the same conclusion that has led to so much of the Lance trade talk: Purdy is going to be the Niners' starter once he's fully healthy and ready to go.

Despite San Francisco's hefty investment in Lance, Purdy going 5-0 down the stretch and helping carry the 49ers into the NFC Championship game commands a lot of respect and reward. Lance's four starts don't hold up at all.

"Brock Purdy, if he's healthy, he's the guy on opening day," Schefter continued. "He's the starting quarterback. He's the number one. If he's not, if for some reason he can't go, we'll see how [Sam] Darnold and Trey Lance do in camp this summer."

Again, this jives with what the Niners have even said, including general manager John Lynch effectively naming Purdy as San Francisco's starter earlier this offseason despite Lance's presence and despite Purdy's significant injury.

If anything, Schefter's statements provide even more evidence that the 49ers are no longer wholly interested in making Lance the cornerstone of the franchise going forward.

Purdy will have that chance first.

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