In a very surprising turn of events, the San Francisco 49ers named Sam Darnold the team’s QB2 ahead of Trey Lance. Now, HC Kyle Shanahan has opened up on moving on from their former 3rd overall pick.

After Week 2 of the 2023 NFL preseason, the 49ers made the decision to name Brock Purdy the starting quarterback. Behind the 2022 Mr. Irrelevant will be Sam Darnold, who surprised everybody in the team since his arrival a few months ago.

However, this decision has had a ripple effect on the team’s roster. Trey Lance has been relegated to the QB3 spot, and it is now clear that San Francisco will attempt to trade him to regain some of the picks they gave away for him in 2021.

Kyle Shanahan’s honest take on why he preferred Sam Darnold over Trey Lance

It seems like the competition was not between Brock Purdy and Trey Lance, but rather with the latter and Sam Darnold. On Wednesday, the 49ers announced their season starter, and their former 3rd overall pick didn’t even appear in the picture.

Sam Darnold was signed earlier this year due to injuries to Purdy and Lance, as the 49ers were unsure if both quarterbacks would be healthy enough to start the season. However, he impressed everyone, which is why they decided to offer him the backup role.

A day after this significant announcement, Kyle Shanahan decided to speak to the media about this matter. The head coach shared some insights into how he handled the situation with Lance and why he preferred Darnold over him.

“We gave [Lance] a big chance to win that 2-spot this year … it was a very tough fight, but in the long run, Sam ended up winning it,” Shanahan said Wednesday, via The Athletic. The head coach also pointed out that injuries have prevented Lance from fully developing his talent.

Those words make one thing very clear: the 49ers had a clear plan that Purdy was going to be the starter, and the real uncertainty was regarding his backup. Now, they will need to find a team willing to trade for Lance, but his injuries could pose a significant challenge in attracting interest from potential clubs.