Trey Lance may not be closing in on the starting job, but it sounds like head coach Kyle Shanahan wants to see the rookie working in with the starting unit soon.
Shanahan throughout camp has remained adamant that Lance’s time with the first-team would come once he felt the No. 3 pick earned some snaps there. Lance’s only plays with the first-team have come while installing run plays for the QB. That tune changed a little Thursday after the 49ers’ first joint practice with the Chargers.
“No, I’d like him to get some reps with the ones eventually,” Shanahan told reporters. “I kind of reevaluate that after each practice. Not just so he can get with our ones, but also, so he can go against the one defense and stuff. So, we’ll see if we do some of that tomorrow. If I do, it’d be more trying to get him some reps, verse (Chargers DE Joey) Bosa and (Chargers S) Derwin (James) and some other guys too because there’s definitely a difference.”
Any snaps he gets with the first-team offense against the Chargers’ first-team defense might be Lance’s first real chance to show he gives the 49ers the best chance to win – which is Shanahan’s criteria for naming a starting quarterback.
Neither quarterback stood out in their first joint practice with the starting offense against the starting defense, and the second-teams squaring off. However, it’s clear the 49ers want to see what Lance can do against starters in something close to a game situation.
If there’s going to be movement in the 49ers’ relatively stagnant quarterback battle, there’s a really good chance it happens Friday if/when Lance gets first-team reps.