Lance offers honest assessment of 49ers camp performance

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Trey Lance has been the talk of 49ers training camp thus far. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft entered camp as the backup to Jimmy Garoppolo, but his fast development has many believing the rookie will take the starting job from Garoppolo this season.

The North Dakota State product has come a long way since OTAs, and while he is pleased with his performance so far, he knows he still has a lot to work on.

"I thought it's been going pretty well," Lance told reporters Wednesday. "I've gotten to learn a lot, which I've really enjoyed. And like I said, just being able to be around my teammates and be in this organization, this locker room has been something that's really, really special.

"I definitely haven't been perfect in any situation, any setting throughout camp," Lance later said. "But I'm continuing to learn and just get more familiar with coach Shanahan's offense and the situations that he wants to put me in."

On Tuesday, Lance struggled during a do-or-die situation which led coach Kyle Shanahan to bemoan the decision-making of both his quarterbacks during the period. Lance knows he will make mistakes as he did Tuesday, but has to focus on not repeating the same ones.

"I mean, yeah, obviously it didn't go as well as I would've liked," Lance said of the drills Tuesday. "And it's kind of like a no-brainer situation. Like everyone knew that I didn't make the right decision with the ball. So yeah, just continuing to learn as much as I can from those situations. And I'm thankful that we'll get to do that drill again.

"Yeah, I think that just comes with learning the offense and continuing to get more familiar with the guys in different situations," Lance said of making mistakes. "Like I mentioned, it's just a feel thing and like you said, try not to make the same mistake twice is definitely something that I focused on."

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Lance's quick progress has led Shanahan to say the rookie will play at least in part this season, and the 49ers coach is open to a QB rotation between Lance and Garoppolo.

"Just staying ready. You know, obviously taking every rep like it's a game," Lance said of hearing he would play this season. "Same thing all the other quarterbacks are doing in the room. Being locked in in meetings, things like that. It's just playing football, being in training camp, that's just kind of how it goes."

The 21-year-old will see his first NFL action Saturday when the 49ers face the Kansas City Chiefs in their preseason opener, and all eyes will be on Lance when he trots onto the field as the future of the 49ers.

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