49ers to start Trey Lance in preseason opener against Raiders but what about the 2023-24 NFL regular season?

Following a season that ended before it got going after he broke his ankle, Trey Lance has been given the nod to start the 49ers’ upcoming preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Trey Lance to start preseason game vs Las Vegas Raiders

While the jury is still out on who will start at quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers in the 2023-24 NFL season, what we do know is that Trey Lance will be starting the team’s opening preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders. According to head coach Kyle Shanahan, Lance will open the game while former Carolina Panthers signal-caller, Sam Darnold, will play in the second half. It’s understood that the Niners’ fourth quarterback, Brandon Allen, will also see playing time when the team squares off against the Raiders on Sunday.

Now, to be clear, as far as we know it’s second-year quarterback Brock Purdy who is currently set to be the starter for the team this season, however, Purdy is not too long back from a severe elbow injury which he suffered in the NFC Championship Game against the Eagles last season. Indeed, having had to undergo Tommy John surgery on the joint, Purdy appears to be just getting back into the swing of things, and that could be seen during the team’s scrimmage against the Raiders on Friday. Purdy was only able to muster 15 of 26 during an 11-on-11 workout that included an interception.

The 49ers aren’t worried about Brock

As the 49ers mull over their options at quarterback - a nice headache to have - it’s interesting to note that where the players themselves are concerned, there is no concern about Purdy after his less-than-ideal performance on Friday. Take star left tackle Trent Williams who simply paid it no mind. Speaking about the man who was dubbed ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ after being selected last in the NFL Draft of 2022, Williams made it clear where he stands. “I have faith in Brock,” Williams said. “It’s preseason. The guy just got back from a six-month rehab. I’m definitely not putting much into a practice rep or a practice interception.”

Can Trey Lance lead?

Where Lance is concerned, we’ve got a mixed back. After departing North Dakota as a star, he came into the NFL as a highly touted QB, following selection with the No.3 overall pick in the 2021 Draft. Yet, he has only made a total of four regular season starts across two seasons in San Francisco. On one side, that was due to the presence of Jimmy Garoppolo who has since moved on, and on the other, there was his injury. In the four games he started, he completed just under 55% of his passes with five touchdowns and three interceptions.

This, of course, brings us to the present and the question of how this all shakes out. It’s clear that Lance has star potential, but we’ve not really seen it. Meanwhile, we’ve got a player who had a breakout season just this year and was really only derailed by injury. Ultimately, Shanahan and the 49ers have got a complex situation on their hands, but it goes without saying that it’s a luxury they are likely enjoying. After two consecutive appearances in the NFC title game, this could be just what the franchise needs to go a step further as they look to bring home their first Super Bowl trophy since 1995.