Should the 49ers Have Buyer's Remorse for Drafting Trey Lance?

The San Francisco 49ers open quarterback competition between Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance feels like ages ago, but at the start of training camp, there was considerable discussion about which of the two quarterbacks should begin the season under center.

Now 15 weeks into the season, it appears that the decision to stick with Garoppolo after returning from injury has worked on the surface. The 49ers are 8-6; holding onto the No. 6 seed as the third NFC West team to likely make the postseason. Our Iain MacMillan wrote this week how the 49ers hold the best value on the board at WynnBET Sportsbook when it comes to Super Bowl futures odds; coming in at +3000, or 30/1 odds.

Meanwhile, Garoppolo has started 13 games, going 8-5, while throwing for 18 touchdowns, eight interceptions and a career high in yards/attempt.

As for Lance, the tantalizing talent remains, but between injuries and improved play from Jimmy G, it's hard for any of us to know what could have been. Lance will likely finish his first year on his rookie contract with just one start, along with an occasional appearance out of the wildcat.

Did the 49ers Make a Massive Mistake to Trade Up for Trey Lance?

San Francisco went all in to get the quarterback from North Dakota State with the No. 3 overall pick, trading away three first round picks and a third rounder in 2022 to get him. It's hard not to wonder what the 49ers could have done with all that draft capital, or perhaps they could have taken a player that was better suited to help them win this year.

The 49ers were slated to pick at No. 12, which was where the soon-to-be Defensive Rookie of the Year Micah Parsons was selected.

There also appears to be a difference of philosophy when it comes to the most important position.

In a recent interview on KNBR in San Francisco, General Manager John Lynch spoke at length about Garoppolo's impact on the team's improved play, stating, "He's running our system exactly how we want. The thing I love about Jimmy, he doesn't care if we run it 40 times, throw it 40 times -- just wants to win. We love that about him." 

Furthermore, Peter King of NBC Sports has reported that 49ers brass has not made a decision regarding who will be the future quarterback in 2022 between Garoppolo and Lance,

I’m told the Niners have not made up their minds, at all, about how to handle their quarterback situation in 2022 and beyond. They shouldn’t be. How do you know how Garoppolo will play down the stretch, and into a playoff run if that’s the fate of this season? I’m also told the Niners have been impressed, with Garoppolo’s career on the line, with how he’s handled this weird year, with Lance being the third pick in the draft and with Garoppolo expected to just handle things like a pro. He has.

Unless San Francisco is trying to drive up the price of their veteran signal-caller, not moving on from Jimmy G this year will be a colossal error for a team that's already seen his ceiling with a loss in the Super Bowl in 2020. The 49ers are talented, but their defense is nowhere near as good as it was two years ago, and while Deebo Samuel is electric, there's still too many holes on this team that can't be covered without an elite quarterback.