Steve Young believes he read the writing on the wall loud and clear from the 49ers, and thinks we should too.
Though the coaches and front office won't say so right now, Young says it's obvious who this team wants to play quarterback, and it isn't Jimmy Garoppolo. And if that's the case, the Hall of Fame QB believes San Francisco needs to get Trey Lance on the field right away.
"John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan took the offseason and said to themselves, 'What do we want to do with all these draft picks at quarterback? Oh, let's pile them all in to the future, because we do not want the guy we have.' You could not have spoken more clearly or loudly," Young said Friday on ESPN's "Monday Night Countdown."
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"So all I'm saying is 'I heard you,' and now Trey Lance is here. And now barring something unforeseen, he needs to be on that field. ... Jimmy has the locker room. Jimmy has a great start to the season, it just gets more complicated and more difficult, because you've got this guy that you just told everyone, 'We don't want you, we want this guy.' And you couldn't speak it anymore loudly."
Young made these comments even before Lance threw two touchdowns in his second NFL preseason game Sunday. Through two games, Lance has completed 13 of his 28 pass attempts for 230 yards and three passing touchdowns and has been intercepted once. However, he has dealt with seven dropped passes and his one interception probably should have been caught by receiver Deebo Samuel.
If all seven drops turned into receptions, Lance's preseason completion percentage would jump from 46.4 percent to 71.4.
San Francisco 49ers
Garoppolo has completed six of his nine pass attempts for only 41 yards. He has not thrown a touchdown and also has been intercepted once.
Another reason Young thinks Lance should see the field early is how college football now is played and translates to the NFL. Although Lance played at a lower level during his short time at North Dakota State, his skill set and potential is undeniable.
"The transition is so much easier than it ever was or ever could be for these young college players coming into the pros," Young said. "Get him on the field, more than ever. If there's even a close call at all, go with these dynamic young players that can get you all those yards. ... You have a Super Bowl-ready team with Trey Lance. This team is going to the Super Bowl, this is the guy they gave up -- five times in history that teams have given up three first-round choices ever.
"How could you speak more loudly that you don't want Jimmy Garoppolo than to do that?
Even after the 49ers traded up to make Lance the No. 3 pick in this year's draft, Lynch and Shanahan both made it clear Garoppolo would be the 49ers' starting quarterback for Week 1 of the regular season. That isn't such a sure thing anymore.
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“I’m not making that announcement,” Shanahan said Sunday night following the 49ers’ 15-10 preseason win over the Los Angeles Chargers. “It’s not the night.
“When? It’s hard for me to give a date when it’s based on when we know and we feel like naming it. So whenever that happens, but I promise it’ll be by that Sunday.”
Shanahan can play coy all he wants with the media. Young sure isn't, though.