Should 49ers be concerned with Trey Lance’s mechanics?

The San Francisco 49ers drafted Trey Lance with the third pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and in his second season, the team has said it’s planning to make him the starting quarterback this season and look to trade Jimmy Garoppolo.

However, some 49ers officials are reportedly concerned with Lance’s throwing mechanics.

Colin Cowherd brought Bucky Brooks on to The Herd to discuss.

49ers brass reportedly concerned with Trey Lance’s mechanics | THE HERD

Bucky Brooks joins Colin Cowherd to discuss the latest in the NFL. Brooks speculates when San Francisco 49ers prospect Trey Lance will hit the field and addresses the concerns about the North Dakota State prospect.

Cowherd voiced that after watching Lance play, it’s clear he will never throw a pretty, accurate ball like Justin Herbert or Kyler Murray.

“I’ve had multiple people tell me they are concerned,” Cowherd said. “He’s inconsistent. One day he’s great, and one day he’s not. It’s hit-and-miss accuracy.”

Cowherd then wondered, how long does it take for a franchise to realize that it’s time to move on from a particular guy simply because he’s not what they were looking for?

“Normally, it takes 30-32 games to get a full assessment on what a quarterback is,” Brooks said. “Trey Lance hasn’t played enough games for us to know.”

In six games and two starts, Lance has completed 57.7% of his passes for 603 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. He has a 1-1 record as a starter.

“There is a difference in practice speed and game speed, and there’s a difference between preseason games to the regular season and regular season to postseason. Then there’s a big gap from the postseason to the Super Bowl,” Brooks said. 

“So until we see Trey Lance really play, no one really knows what he’s going to be. So the 49ers have to understand that when they have a young quarterback, they have to throw him out there, and we have to live with some of the hiccups until he finds his rhythm.”

Last season with Garoppolo at quarterback, the 49ers finished 10-7 during the regular season but caught fire in the playoffs, reaching the NFC Championship Game before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Los Angeles Rams.

“I think what we on the outside have to be careful of is trying to make these solid assessments and assertions of what a player will be based on practice,” Brooks said. “Ultimately, how you play the game determines whether you really can ball out in the National Football League.”