© Stan Szeto | 2021 Jul 28
There are actually two aspects of the 49ers’ preseason that make it uniquely compelling in 2021.
One is that it’s different. There are three games for the first time ever instead of the traditional four, meaning we’ll see a new approach in how the 49ers divvy up playing time. That leads us to interesting point No. 2: One of those players getting playing time will be new quarterback Trey Lance.
The good news is that we should see a lot of Lance in the 49ers preseason opener on Saturday. 49ers beat writer David Lombardi of The Athletic believes that Kyle Shanahan will treat this the same as any other preseason opener, and give Lance the floor after Jimmy Garoppolo takes the opening series.
“I think what they’re doing I would guess…with three preseason games instead of the original four, they’re going to treat this just like the full preseason, just chopping off that final week,” Lombardi said on KNBR Monday. “If that is indeed the case, then you’d have Week 1 being the week where the starters really only get a series. Second team gets quite a bit of time, and you’d cut into that if you want to finalize the (Nate) Sudfeld-(Josh) Rosen debate. I think that’s already been finalized, I think Kyle has essentially picked Sudfeld there.
“I would think if that’s the formula then Lance does get a lot of time. The 49ers would use that third preseason game as the true dress rehearsal for the regular season, against the Raiders at Levi’s Stadium.”
It’s a very exciting prospect for fans who have been hearing about Lance’s training camp performances ad nauseam. Lance has been turning heads since last week, leading to rumblings that there is an outside chance he could take Garoppolo’s job before the season starts.
At that moment, that possibility still seems remote, but impressing in an extended showcase vs. the Chiefs on Saturday could increase those odds.