Trey Lance and 3 other former 49ers who have floundered in 2024

Some former 49ers players haven't exactly found their footing in 2024, including the continued demise of quarterback Trey Lance.

When the San Francisco 49ers traded quarterback Trey Lance to the Dallas Cowboys at the outset of the 2023 season, all the former No. 3 overall pick from the 2021 NFL Draft wanted was a chance to compete.

To what degree Lance received that in his new surroundings is up for debate, but it's becoming evidently clear he's not going to find a long-term home out in Dallas.

Lance struggled in training camp and in the preseason, landing the QB3 role behind Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush on the depth chart. And when Prescott was lost to the year midseason because of injury, head coach Mike McCarthy opted to give Rush starting duties despite the Cowboys' season heading nowhere fast and the desire to at least see what the inexperienced Lance had to offer.

Making things worse, though, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones all but declared Lance wouldn't get a shot at starting for the rest of 2024.

Ouch.

Lance, a free agent in 2025, seems highly unlikely to stick around with Dallas after this season. Given his notable fall from prominence, it might be a far cry to land even a veteran's minimum deal with any of the 31 other teams across the league.

If that's not floundering, what is?

Sadly, Lance isn't the only former Niners player who hasn't exactly found success outside of the Bay Area this season.

Here are three others.

No. 1: Defensive tackle Arik Armstead (Jaguars)

San Francisco broached its longest-tenured player last offseason, defensive tackle Arik Armstead, about taking a paycut to stay with the team into 2024.

He declined, ultimately resulting in a cap-savings release and a lucrative free-agent contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Armstead, who dealt with injuries over his final two years with the 49ers, has mostly stayed healthy with the 2-9 Jags this season. But, amid Jacksonville's own turmoil and dysfunction, it's hard to see Armstead enjoying a resurgent latter half of his career.

Over 11 games, he has yet to record a sack with his new squad, has just four quarterback hits and owns a 60.2 overall Pro Football Focus grade, the lowest that number has been since his 2016 season (53.9).

While Armstead can't complain about receiving the compensation he feels he deserves, the surroundings have been nothing short of disappointing.

No. 2: Running back Raheem Mostert (Dolphins)

Unlike Armstead, former Niners running back Raheem Mostert enjoyed plenty of success with a new team, the Miami Dolphins, when he originally joined them as a free agent in 2022, notching 891 rush yards his first season there and a whopping 1,012 rush yards a year later, also leading the NFL with 18 scores on the ground.

Sadly for Mostert, 2024 has been nothing like the previous two campaigns.

Injuries have certainly gotten in the way of the 32-year-old veteran's efforts, as Mostert has appeared in just eight games this season. But, now serving as a backup to starting tailback De'Von Achane, Mostert's campaign over the year has produced a mere 217 rush yards, 102 receiving yards and two touchdowns, all while averaging a career-low 3.6 yards per carry.

Being well beyond the wrong side of 30 years old, Mostert's best days are pretty much behind him.

No. 3: Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (Jets)

Not unlike Armstead's situation in Jacksonville, former San Francisco defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw has experienced plenty of dysfunction out with his new team, the New York Jets, including the midseason firing of his former defensive coordinator in the Bay Area, turned Gang Green's head coach, Robert Saleh.

Kinlaw, who never quite reached peak potential after being a 2020 first-round pick of the 49ers, at least translated a solid 2023 campaign into a good free-agent deal with New York but still hasn't lived up to the reputation associated with being such a lauded prospect.

Despite the Jets once owning an elite defense under Saleh, Kinlaw has been unimpressive despite starting 11 games, boasting a not-so-great 53.1 Pro Football Focus defensive grade, four penalties against on the year and a career-worst four missed tackles.

Sure, Kinlaw is on pace to beat his 2023 career-best mark of 3.5 sacks (he has 2.5 thus far), but the overall body of work suggests the former South Carolina Gamecock won't be retained in the Big Apple once his one-year deal expires this offseason.

Tough break for a player who once had so much promise.

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