NFL analyst: I don’t think Trey Lance can play in the 49ers’ offense

Trey Lance finished Sunday's exhibition opener against the Las Vegas Raiders 10 of 15 for 112 passing yards, a touchdown, and a passer rating of 111.0. Obviously, statistics can sometimes be deceiving. This is one of those times.

Anyone who watched the game is probably less confident in the former No. 3 overall pick now. Even that one touchdown probably should have been an interception. The quarterback was lucky it was deflected off the defender's hands in the end zone and into the hands of tight end Ross Dwelley for the score.

Many have given up on Lance after the uninspiring outing. That includes ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky.

"I don't think Trey Lance can play in Kyle Shannon's offense," the former quarterback said Monday morning on ESPN's Get Up. "I just—I've seen enough. One, he doesn't have enough reps playing football. That's a reality. That ball is almost intercepted. It should go to the left because the guy's wide open. The ball doesn't come out quick enough for Trey right now."

Lance agrees.

"I got to get the ball out," the quarterback told reporters after the game, acknowledging that there is still much work to do before the season starts.

Lance entered last season as the 49ers' starting quarterback but suffered a season-ending ankle injury during Week 2, allowing Brock Purdy to grab hold of his spot and never let go. Now, Lance is competing with Sam Darnold for the QB2 job, and neither impressed on Sunday.

"And I think that, after watching yesterday, he's so much more comfortable as an under-center quarterback than a shotgun quarterback," Orlovsky continued in his analysis of Lance. "But Kyle's offense has really become a shotgun offense. It's become ball distribution. It's become play point guard. It's become get it out quickly. And that's just not where Trey is right now.

"I want to be fair to Trey. He got better as the game went on, and that's why those reps matter. I just don't think he can play in Kyle Shanahan's offense. He should have thrown two interceptions. The ball gets held so long for him right now, and it hasn't gotten better in the three years that he's been in the NFL."