It looks like Trey Lance has sewn up the second-string quarterback spot for the Los Angeles Chargers. In Saturday’s preseason game versus the San Francisco 49ers, he completed five of eight pass attempts, and overall, he has looked fairly sharp throughout the exhibition schedule.
Lance was once the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and the man the 49ers hoped would be their quarterback of the future. But due to injuries and the emergence of Brock Purdy, he didn’t pan out, and they traded him to the Dallas Cowboys late in the 2023 preseason.
Some still feel Lance has untapped potential as he heads into his fifth pro season, and perhaps he doesn’t deserve to be the Chargers’ QB2. Perhaps he deserves one more shot at starting for an NFL team.
To be clear, it seems extremely unlikely that Los Angeles will even consider trading him anytime soon. But his arm strength, size, athleticism and football IQ make it seem as if he would be wasting his talent and potential standing on the sideline while holding a tablet.
Read more: 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan Comments on Trey Lance Before Chargers Game
At North Dakota State University, Lance threw for 2,947 yards and 30 touchdowns against just one interception and completed 65.4% of his pass attempts while adding 1,325 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground in 19 games. He led the school to a victory in the 2020 NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Game by completing six of 10 pass attempts and rushing for 166 yards and a touchdown on 30 attempts.
Potential has a shelf life, and after showing some brief flashes of that potential in San Francisco, it seems to be approaching its expiration date.
The ideal situation for Lance would likely be a poor team in a smaller market where he can simply play his game and develop at his own pace without any real expectations or pressure. It could also present an opportunity for a Chargers team that still needs more legitimate pieces around QB1 Justin Herbert to acquire a draft pick for Lance that could be used on a viable player later on.
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The unexpected success of players such as Sam Darnold and Geno Smith over the last few years, after both had many rough years, could give fans some hope that, in the right situation, Lance could thrive.
Granted, Lance is a different type of signal-caller than Darnold or Smith, but being able to spread his wings while playing for the right coaching staff could allow him to finally become the player some envisioned him being four years ago.
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