Report: Lombardi claims 49ers caved to pressure in drafting Lance

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If you listened to what Kyle Shanahan had said ever since the 49ers were dominated by Josh Allen in a loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 13, it was exceedingly obvious that San Francisco was not seriously considering Mac Jones after trading up to the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. 

You don't give up the draft capital that the 49ers did in moving up to No. 3 from the 12th pick to select an undynamic, high-floor/low-ceiling quarterback who at absolute best would represent a very minimal upgrade over the QBs already on the roster. 

Unfortunately, as we saw, there was a prevalence of a lack of reason, due to an echo chamber created and subsisted on by those who conflated reporting with inference and opinion. So many were dead set on Jones being the pick simply because a few people believed he would be, based on a flawed analysis of what Shanahan wanted and was looking for.

It was always going to be Trey Lance. Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have said as much, with their zeroed-in focus dating back to January. And yet, some of those same people who thought it was going to be Jones continue to purport a baseless opinion, even in the face of a clearly opposing reality.

"I’m not buying it was Trey Lance all along,” The Athletic's Michael Lombardi told FOX Sports Radio's Jason McIntyre on Monday. "Anybody you talk to in the NFL that has sources -- they aren’t buying that either. [San Francisco] can say it was Trey all along -- that’s a crock of crap. They traded up to get Mac Jones and the outside pressure became really bad.”

RELATED: Jimmy G's attitude about Lance sets tone for Super Bowl return

The idea that Shanahan and Lynch would cave to fan pressure on arguably the most important draft decision in franchise history is equally laughable and ludicrous -- kind of like the Jones mania in general. As NFL draft analyst and Denver Broncos beat writer Benjamin Allbright quickly reported Monday, there is absolutely no truth to that suggestion.

So, who are you going to believe? Those who actually made the decision -- and one that made sense, at that; or others who remain stuck in an alternate reality?

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