San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Struggled With Grip Following Finger Injury

The extent of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance's bad luck knows no bounds. Speaking with local media on Wednesday, head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that the former third-overall pick suffered a hairline fracture in his right index finger during the 2021 preseason that hindered his ability to grip a football for more than a year.

Kyle Shanahan said the finger injury Trey Lance suffered in August 2021 carried over into last year’s offseason. He said Lance is in “such a better place” as far as his delivery/motion than he was a year ago.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) May 11, 2023

Lance has seen extremely limited action since coming into the league as the 49ers' third-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, totalling 797 passing yards and 235 rushing yards in eight appearances over his two seasons. He also had a relatively brief college career, totalling a mere 2947 passing yards and 1325 rushing yards over three seasons with North Dakota State.

Lance opened up 2022 as the 49ers' starting quarterback, but a broken ankle in Week 2 quickly put an end to his season. His absence allowed for the eventual emergence of rookie Brock Purdy, who won his first seven career starts while managing an impressive 107.3 passer rating over 170 regular season passes.

The 49ers may be expressing confidence and happiness with the Lance they're seeing on the field now, but their actions this offseason have clearly demonstrated they don't presently consider him a meaningful part of their future. The starting job is reportedly Purdy's to lose, and the 49ers signed Sam Darnold earlier this offseason for backup duties. They're likely simply making the most of an awkward situation or attempting to drum up interest for a trade.