Given the health and status of current 49ers quarterbacks behind Brock Purdy, Kyle Shanahan might be pinching himself when he sees a former QB thriving.
Los Angeles Chargers v Los Angeles Rams - NFL Preseason 2025 | Harry How/GettyImages
Trey Lance will always be the third overall selection taken in the 2021 NFL Draft. He will also be remembered as a former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who was moved too soon in his career.
In his rookie season, Lance played in six games, starting in two of them, and his completion percentage was below 60 percent and he averaged just 8.5 yards per attempt.
Still, he racked up five touchdowns by air and just two interceptions. Lance showed signs of potential greatness by completing a season-long pass to former Niners wide receiver Deebo Samuel, good for 76 yards and a score.
Prior to the start of the 2023 season, and after discovering Brock Purdy as a centerpiece, San Francisco sent Lance packing to an NFC foe, the Dallas Cowboys. The Marshall, Minnesota, native never got the chance to materialize into anything great there, however.
He has now, though.
Chargers can rub it in 49ers' faces how they got it wrong about Trey Lance
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the first week of April this year, the Los Angeles Chargers signed the former 49ers signal-caller to a one-year deal worth $2 million. Lance would be tasked with being a backup to starter Justin Herbert, who helped take the Chargers to the playoffs last year.
Lance made headlines with his performance in the NFL Hall of Game against the Detroit Lions where he racked up 120 passing yards and touchdowns while going 13-of-20 under a supposed "quarterback whisperer" Niners fans know well, Bolts head coach Jim Harbaugh.
And that's led to the almost-assured likelihood of Harbaugh naming Lance as the No. 2 QB on the depth chart behind Herbert.
Mac Jones, San Francisco's current QB2 who was taken 12 picks after Lance (by the New England Patriots), also joined a new team earlier this offseason in an attempt to resurrect his career. His performance in two preseason games, however, indicates there is [no solid backup plan if Brock Purdy gets hurt again](https://ninernoise.com/49ers-offseason-quarterback-neglect-result-catastrophic-outcome).
Jones has thrown an interception in each of San Francisco's two preseason games. The 49ers have signed and cut Tanner Mordecai [more than once this summer, too](https://ninernoise.com/latest-49ers-roster-move-confuse-everyone-unless-another-injury).
Lance has almost 100 more passing yards than Jones and two more touchdowns than him without the picks, too. A plate of redemption might be served to the 25-year-old quarterback to his former team and coach this weekend.
Now, Shanahan finds himself in a dilemma as Jones is ruled out of Saturday's game against the Lance-led Chargers in the preseason finale for both teams. This could be a "gotchya!" moment for Lance if he beats his original NFL team, and Shanahan could be left scratching his head afterward.
Another series of bad showings by the 49ers' quarterbacks, like in the 30-9 exhibition loss to the Denver Broncos, may be a shot to the ego that Shanahan is not ready for.
Lance and the Chargers come to Levi's Stadium to play the Niners on Saturday to close out the preseason, and the No. 3 overall pick from 2021 would love nothing more than to "stick it" to his former squad.
### Read more from Niner Noise