49ers GM makes honest admission about potential Trey Lance trade

Sep 11, 2022; Chicago, Illinois, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance (5) drops back to pass against the Chicago Bears during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco 49ers are open to a Trey Lance trade after dropping him to third on the depth chart, but it may be easier said than done.

49ers general manager John Lynch admitted Thursday in an interview on KNBR radio that the most likely outcome is that Lance remains with the team, and seemed to doubt that a trade could be found before the season begins.

“That’s the most likely option,” Lynch said, via Nick Wagoner of ESPN. “We’re very happy with Trey. The most likely option is that he’s here. If we can find a landing spot for Trey that is a really good one for him and works for our organization, that’s not something that we’d turn a blind eye to. But that’s not where our focus is right now. Our focus is on Trey getting back here and us being the best football team. We’re getting close to Pittsburgh [in Week 1].”

This may simply be an attempt on Lynch’s part to keep Lance’s trade value from cratering further. That the 49ers see more in Sam Darnold is not exactly a ringing endorsement of Lance, and other teams will know that.

Lance has a very big cap hit, which also complicates any trade. The 49ers probably would not get much for him even if they managed to deal him.