SANTA CLARA — It has been alleged that 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is just not “all-in” on first-year beginning quarterback Trey Lance.
The argument is direct: the incumbent starter, Jimmy Garoppolo, continues to be on the 49ers roster — how might the Niners’ coach think about the previous No. 3 general decide?
However whether or not Shanahan desires to be tied to Lance for this season or not, the reality is that the younger quarterback will outline the coach’s tenure in San Francisco.
You see, Shanahan went all-in on Lance to not begin this season, however when he traded three first-round picks to maneuver up within the draft and choose him. That’s an enormous commerce, so the second Lance was picked at No. 3 general, he needed to be the suitable decide.
Shanahan is aware of this — therefore the one-year delay on Lance beginning.
Lance would be the final beginning quarterback Shanahan will likely be allowed to pick out in San Francisco.
Both Lance turns into a high quality beginning quarterback, and Shanahan stays on this job for one more six seasons, or he busts, and Shanahan’s tenure lasts solely marginally longer than the quarterback’s.
Harsh?
Completely. However that’s how issues go within the billion-dollar enterprise that's the NFL.
Shanahan isn’t involved concerning the court docket of public opinion relating to Lance.
Why ought to he be? Early-season response to Lance’s play — good or dangerous — received’t unbind the quarterback and head coach.
“Everyone knows the way it’ll go,” Shanahan mentioned Wednesday. “I additionally know if Jimmy wasn’t right here and Trey did dangerous, how it might go. The truth that he has this profitable quarterback behind him, that’s apparent how that narrative will likely be and understandably so.”
The irony is that Lance wasn’t Shanahan’s first option to be his quarterback.
No, we’re not speaking about Garoppolo vs. Lance or relitigating the choice between Lance and Mac Jones earlier than the 2021 NFL Draft. As a substitute, we’re going to a time earlier than the Niners even traded as much as decide No. 3 with eyes on choosing a quarterback.
Shanahan had determined to maneuver on from Garoppolo after the 2020 season ended, and he was satisfied Lions quarterback Matt Stafford was the person who might get the 49ers excessive. (He proved to be right, in a twisted approach.)
Shanahan was in Cabo San Lucas in Jan. 2021 and was finding out Stafford’s tape. This was his man, and he thought he had the within monitor to carry him to the Niners — Stafford was additionally in Cabo on the time.
However so was Rams coach Sean McVay. Coincidence? That’s the story the Rams push. I’m skeptical.
Both approach, McVay made his transfer quicker than Shanahan, swooping in and buying and selling for Stafford earlier than the 49ers might even put in a bid.
Was there some tampering concerned? Completely. Once more, the NFL is a billion-dollar enterprise. However contemplate this one other little bit of poor sport administration from Shanahan, who couldn’t even do any tampering of his personal.
The issue you will have while you mentally substitute your beginning quarterback is that it’s onerous to return to them when you fail to really substitute them.
This sense might come up once more over the following few months.
However final March, Shanahan traded roughly the identical bundle it took the Rams to get Stafford to the Dolphins for the No. 3 general decide, the place he picked Lance.
It’s additionally essential to keep in mind that Garoppolo wasn’t Shanahan’s first decide, both.
No, that may have been then-Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins, who was set to be a free agent after the 2017 season.
Shanahan didn’t critically contemplate drafting Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun Watson in his first draft, 2017, as a result of he was trying a 12 months forward to Cousins.
However in October of that first season, the Patriots provided Garoppolo on to Shanahan for a second-round draft decide. Straight-up.
The Niners — 0-8 on the time — took the deal. It was a lifeline, and Shanahan needed to take it. Quarterbacks are future within the NFL.
Certain sufficient, Garoppolo received 5 video games to finish the season with a pared-down playbook, and that offseason, the Niners signed him, not Cousins, to the richest contract in NFL historical past. Shanahan needed to do it — Garoppolo had simply resuscitated the franchise.
It is a league the place success is outlined by the pinnacle coach and the quarterback.
And — let’s be sincere — it’s largely quarterback.
How’s Invoice Belichick doing with out Tom Brady in New England?
Do you suppose Pete Carroll will thrive with out Russell Wilson in Seattle this season?
Shanahan was 0-8 earlier than he traded for Garoppolo.
And now, Shanahan’s destiny is tied to Lance.
The primary-year starter’s expertise is so prodigious that this transfer might propel the Niners to perennial Tremendous Bowl rivalry.
Quarterback play on the NFL degree is so troublesome, although, that Lance might additionally undercut the work of Shanahan’s first 5 seasons.
Is that this the suitable transfer? I’m bullish, however who cares about that? The enjoyable (or maybe the higher phrase is “agonizing”) half is that we’ll discover out, collectively, within the weeks to return, beginning Sunday in Chicago.
However whether or not you prefer it or not, rolling with Lance is the one transfer for Shanahan to make. He has to bop with the one which he purchased.