Remember whe Trey Lance was once seen as the future of the San Francisco 49ers? The Jimmy Garappolo run looked like it was nearing its end, when the 2021 draftee made his debut, against the Detroit Lions in Week 1. Lance came in to replace the injured Garoppolo, late into the 1st quarter. Lance connected with Trent Sherfield for his first touchdown pass, in the regular season. This was supposed to be the start of a new era. It wasn’t. Lance and Garoppolo bounced back-and-forth as starters, due to injury. Ultimately, Garoppolo remained the starter, up to the NFC Championship Game, which the Niners lost to the eventual Super Bowl Champions the LA Rams.

Now it’s 2022. This is the year that Lance emerges as the star Niner Nation has been yearning for. In Week 2, with less than three minutes into the 1st quarter, against the Seattle Seahawks, Lance took a brutal hit that injured his ankle, thus ending his season. Little did we know, that would be his last regular season snap as a 49ers QB, disrupting potential stardom. Lance watched from the sidelines, as Garoppolo would take the lead again, for another five weeks. Another Garoppolo injury created the path for third-string quarterback Brock Purdy to take the spotlight. For five straight games, plus two playoff games, Purdy won the hearts of Niner Nation, with dominant victories. Lance by this point was an afterthought. It became obvious who was going to be the starter, heading into 2023.

Looking back at how much the Niners invested in order to draft Lance, only for his questionable trade to the Dallas Cowboys to happen, there is valid criticism, but also some justification. When Garoppolo was traded to the Niners, in 2017, he quickly found his footing. Lance on the other hand didn’t really click. He had his moments, but something was missing. Maybe it’s one of the reasons Kyle Shanahan was more confident in Garoppolo.

One may argue that Lance never really got a chance. Well he did, in 2021. As mentioned, something was missing, and starting Garoppolo was the safer bet.

Easily, the biggest criticism San Francisco has faced, rightfully so, is having journeyman Bradon Allen, at 30 years old, to be the third string quarterback. That is how much faith Shanahan has in Lance. That is the type of decision making that leads fan bases to demand an overhaul of those in charge.

The Trey Lance mini-saga is over. Niners fans hope that Lance doesn’t return with a fury, when Purdy and co collide against the Cowboys in Week 5. Is this going to be a decision that will haunt the 49ers?