At this time last year, Trey Lance was preparing to start at quarterback for the 49ers with Jimmy Garoppolo serving as his backup and seventh-round pick Brock Purdy off of just about everyone’s radar.
Things can change in a hurry in the NFL. Purdy is now the starter for the 49ers while Garoppolo is starting for the Raiders and Lance is a backup to Dak Prescott after last week’s trade to the Cowboys.
Garoppolo has seen some other major changes of plans during his career, which started as a Patriots second-round pick who backed up Tom Brady before getting his chance to start after a trade to the 49ers. Garoppolo had success with the Niners while healthy and he said on NFL Network that he thinks Lance can find some success of his own in his new home.
“Excited for Trey. Just a new opportunity for him,” Garoppolo said. “Things didn’t work out in San Francisco for whatever reasons, but glad that he gets another shot, man. This league’s all about opportunities, and when you get a fresh one like that, you’ve just got to take advantage of it. Everyone has their own path and everything like that. It’s never going to be easy, but it’s how you come out the other end of it. So I’m always excited for him, man. He’s a brother of mine. Always pulling for him. . . . Trey’s a brother of mine, man, so like I said before, I’m always pulling for him. I think he’s got a bright future in this league. Dude’s got talent. Just got to get him out there.”
After being the established with the 49ers when Lance arrived as the third overall pick, Garoppolo can also put himself in Dak Prescott’s shoes. He said that situation “pushes you” and he feels he “came out better on the other end from it,” but it remains to be seen whether things play out in a similar fashion for either quarterback in Dallas.