John Lynch shuts down Trey Lance trade rumors: ‘I expect Trey to be here’
Apr 24, 2023, 1:22 PM
Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
Amidst all the speculation around quarterback Trey Lance the last few weeks, 49ers general manager John Lynch attempted to put a halt to that Monday.
Lynch spoke to the Bay Area media for the first since the owners’ meetings last month, confirming that he has spoken to the QB about a trade possibility. But thanks to general uncertainty, a trade is not imminent at this time.
“Trey and I have talked, and we’re on the same page…Trey knows exactly where the situation is. His mindset is all about competing. And I think that’s exactly where his mindset should be,” Lynch said during a press conference to preview the 2023 NFL Draft.
The GM also commented on the rumors of the front office taking calls for the QB. While he didn’t definitively say no calls had been received at this time, the market isn’t where they want it to be for a player of Lance’s caliber. That means San Francisco will be waiting for a substantial offer to arise in the offseason, if at all.
John Lynch describes the Trey Lance trade rumors as “a lot of smoke.” pic.twitter.com/eNWz7ta1rl
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) April 24, 2023
“I think there’s a lot of smoke really, it hasn’t been extremely active,” Lynch stated. “You know, people’s job in this is to ask questions. Has [trade talks] happened on a couple occasions? Sure. But it hasn’t been that substantive.”
Bottom line: The 49ers expect to have Trey Lance competing for the QB1 spot in training camp. And who knows, if he performs well enough, Lance. may get another crack at starting gig for 2023.
“I expect Trey to be here,” Lynch exclaimed. “We’re excited about Trey’s ability to compete and what he can do for our franchise just as we were when we drafted Trey. I think the only thing that’s changed this offseason is that Trey’s gone and got himself healthy…He’s done a really good job of doing that. He’s done some different things in terms of his training this offseason. He’s very encouraged by that.”
The future also hinges on the recovery of fellow QB Brock Purdy, about six weeks out from elbow surgery to repair his torn UCL.
After last season’s success, Lynch previously named Purdy the “leader in the clubhouse” if he was fully healthy for next season. Since he’s not, the road to recovery is one step at a time at the moment. Scheduled to begin throwing around the 12-week mark (early June), Purdy’s health will be contingent on how they feel about Trey Lance moving forward.
After losing three starters at the position last season, San Francisco signed veteran QB Sam Darnold to a one-year deal this offseason to alleviate those concerns. And while there is no clear frontrunner to start right now, the organization is excited to see all three guys compete in training camp.
“We’re just excited about having three really quality quarterbacks in the room and letting those guys go out and compete,” Lynch added.
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