The San Francisco 49ers were split on which quarterback they wanted to Draft in the 2021 selection process. Kyle Shanahan reportedly wanted Mac Jones, while higher-ups were pushing for Trey Lance.
San Francisco ended up choosing Lance. It's one of the biggest mistakes of the entire era for the franchise.
Lance lasted just three seasons with the 49ers and struggled to see the field due to injuries and ineffective play. San Fran shipped him off to Dallas two seasons ago … where he played virtually not at all over his time in two campaigns.
Now, Lance has hit free agency and has gone through the first wave of the process without so much as a nibble from any team. … and the word "bust" is being used.
It's a sign, according to writer Grant Cohn, that Lance's NFL journey may be over...for now.
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"So he (Trey Lance) has a choice. He can quit and live comfortably for the rest of his life -- he has been paid more than $34 million in his career," Cohn said. "Or, he can show everyone how much he loves football and how unfairly written-off he has been, and go sign a contract with a team in the Canadian Football League. And kick butt. That's what former 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia did one time, and he went on to be a highly successful NFL starter in his 30s."
It's hard to argue against the 49ers beat writer. Lance has shown little improvement throughout his career and has little interest on the open market.
Until something changes, the CFL may be the only thing possible for the youngster.
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This story was originally published March 23, 2025 at 9:01 PM.