With Trey Lance demoted to No. 3 on the depth chart in San Francisco, what happens next?
On Wednesday, coach Kyle Shanahan suggested that the team will do whatever Lance wants. The reality, however, is that NFL teams aren’t in the habit of doing anything not in the “best interests of the team.”
So if Lance wants out, will they just give him away to accommodate his wishes? Hell no. They’ll want what they want in trade, and they won’t trade him unless they get what they want — especially if he might go elsewhere and become the guy he’s never been for the 49ers.
On Thursday, G.M. John Lynch said regarding Lynch, in an appearance on KNBR (via Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News, “The most likely option is that he’s here.”
If that’s because Lance realizes it’s his best option given the lateness of the calendar, fine. But if it’s because the 49ers decided to be stubborn and/or fearful that Lance’s potential success elsewhere will make them look bad, that’s a problem.
Not that the 49ers would care. Again, teams do what’s best for them, not what’s best for their players. That’s what made Shanahan’s apparent willingness to trade Lance surprising.
The first question remains what does Lance want? If he wants to stay, it’s not an issue. If he wants out and the team makes it harder than it needs to be, that’s when it gets more interesting.
