SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Return of the Empire: Trey Lance is the odd man out for the 49ers

Aug 24, 2023, 12:00 PM

Trey Lance #5 of the San Francisco 49ers works out during training camp at SAP Performance Facility...

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

The 49ers bounced back Week 2 of the preseason, deafening the Broncos, 21-20, thanks to the play of quarterback Trey Lance. But less than a week later, the team decided it wasn’t enough.

On the latest edition of the Return of the Empire podcast, Amil Fragoso and Nate Littlefield recap the 49ers’ second preseason game against the Denver Broncos. The guys break down San Francisco’s comeback against the Raiders, how starter Brock Purdy looked in his return to  game action, and who stood out on the the day. Plus, a live reaction to the news that Sam Darnold is the team’s QB2 over Trey Lance this season.

“I mean, it was a hell of a battle. They were neck and neck for a long time but just really over these last ten days we felt Sam started to separate himself,” coach Kyle Shanahan said on KNBR Wednesday. “We felt he did it in practice consistently and he’s been getting better each day. Trey made it real tight and made it tough. It wasn’t an easy decision for us.”

All that & much more on the Return of the Empire.

Episode 27 - Trottin' out of Denver…
01 hours10 minutes

Topics Discussed:

  • Nate’s thoughts on the 49ers defeating the Broncos
  • Who impressed Week 2 of the preseason?
  • Brock Purdy’s return to the field
  • Why is Purdy able to execute better than the other QBs?
  • Is WR Ronnie Bell a lock to make the roster?
  • Thoughts on Trey Lance’s fourth-quarter comeback
  • Was that best performance of Lance’s young career?
  • Could the rookie linebackers push for a starting spot?
  • Live Reaction to the news of Sam Darnold being named the backup QB

Click here to view the most recent podcast.

The Return of the Empire podcast is a San Francisco 49ers podcast hosted by beat writer Amiliano Fragoso and producer Nate Littlefield for Sactown Sports 1140.

Click here for more episodes of the Return of the Empire podcast.

Newsletter

San Francisco 49ers

Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with teammates after scoring a 6-yard...

Amiliano Fragoso

49ers reveal new jersey numbers entering 2024 offseason, including rookies

Most of the 2024 newcomers for the #49ers received their numbers this week, with a few other number changes coming next season.

2 hours ago

Renardo Green #8 of the Florida State Seminoles reads the backfield during a football game against ...

Amiliano Fragoso

49ers 2024 NFL Draft Recap: Picks, Fit, Grades

The 49ers 2024 Draft Class was an adventure to say the least! But in the end, they added quality depth across the board. Let's take a look.

2 days ago

Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with teammate, Brandon Aiyuk #11 after rushi...

Amiliano Fragoso

Jennifer Lee Chan never thought the 49ers were trading Aiyuk or Samuel

NBC Sports Bay Area's Jennifer Lee Chan joined The Drive Guys to discuss the 49ers' 2024 Draft Class and the current state of the roster.

3 days ago

Brandon Aiyuk #11 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco ...

Amiliano Fragoso

49ers didn’t entertain Aiyuk, Samuel trade talks after Round 1, will likely keep both for 2024 season

The 49ers ultimately did not trade Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk during the draft, pushing those decisions down the road to 2025.

3 days ago

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 13: Brandon Aiyuk #11 and Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco ...

Frankie Cartoscelli

Aiyuk or Samuel: Who will remain on the 49ers in 2025?

The Athletic's Matt Barrows joined Dave & Jason to share his thoughts on what the San Francisco 49ers will do with its current WR core.

3 days ago

Tatum Bethune #15 of the Florida State Seminoles cheers on the crowd against the Louisville Cardina...

Amiliano Fragoso

49ers select LB Tatum Bethune in 7th round of 2024 NFL Draft

With the 49ers final selection of the 2024 NFL Draft, they took a middle-of-the-park member in linebacker Tatum Bethune. The San Francisco 49ers selected the Florida State LB with the 251st overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. SF added two linebackers in the back-half of last year’s draft class (Jaelen Graham and Dee Winters), […]

5 days ago

Return of the Empire: Trey Lance is the odd man out for the 49ers