As the San Francisco 49ers get set to open training camp, coach Kyle Shanahan is ready to turn the page to the Trey Lance Plan.
Joining Tim Kawakami on The Athletic's TK Show podcast, Shanahan said he expects Jimmy Garoppolo to report for camp to undergo a physical but made it clear it's Lance's time.
"We had an awesome run with Jimmy, it was great," Shanahan said, via 49ers Web Zone. "But when you bring in a salary cap and things like that, there are so many tough decisions that you have to make and we made [that decision] a year ago. And we got to here and I was so happy [with] how Jimmy played last year, that he took us almost to the Super Bowl, got healthy, [and] guys around him played real well around him. But this is something that we did last year knowing where we wanted to go with this franchise and how you balance out a salary cap, how you balance out a roster, and Jimmy gave Trey a year that I thought he needed just to get used to this league, get his feet wet a little bit."
Shanahan reiterated the team's outlook at the quarterback position during Tuesday's press conference, telling reporters, "We have moved on to Trey."
"Jimmy knows we're going with Trey," Shanahan said Tuesday. "Trey knows we're going with Trey. The team knows we're going with Trey and everyone likes both of those guys. It is what it is."
Garoppolo underwent shoulder surgery this offseason, scuttling plans to trade the veteran quarterback during the spring. Lance took all of the first team reps this offseason, preparing for the starting role.
"I think our team's ready for Trey, going through OTAs, I'm just pumped to get to work [and] provide him some practices because I know the kid has the abilities, made of the right stuff, he just needs the reps," Shanahan told Kawakami.
Lance spent most of his rookie season behind Garoppolo, making two starts. The young QB displayed a big arm and running ability but needed time to work on his fundamentals and speed through his progression.
When the 49ers shelled out massive amounts of draft capital to snag Lance last year, the hope was he'd elevate a playoff roster. Now, it's his time to prove that projection true.
As for the offseason storyline that Lance suffered from arm fatigue, Shanahan said it's "not a concern at all," noting most QBs deal with issues in some form or fashion.
With Jimmy G still on the roster, it could set up some awkward moments. But asked directly by Kawakami if Garoppolo would see practice time if he's not traded in the immediate future, the coach responded, "I think anything's possible, but that would surprise me right now."
Niners veterans and rookies are scheduled to report for training camp today, July 26.
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