Category: San Francisco 49ers

49ers GM John Lynch: Trey Lance is ‘everything we thought he was’

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch says last year’s No. 3 overall pick lives up to the hype and high expectations

When the San Francisco 49ers made the blockbuster trade to move up for North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance in the 2021 NFL draft, the expectations placed on the talented FCS passer were understandably huge.

Even after the 49ers made it all the way to the NFC title game with Jimmy Garoppolo under center, the team is still excited about Lance’s future as the franchise quarterback.

Appearing on NFL Network on Wednesday morning at the NFL Scouting Combine, 49ers general manager John Lynch made it clear that Lance has lived up to the hype in practice, keeping their hopes high for his future:

Garoppolo’s future in San Francisco is obviously the more immediate question, as the 49ers are clearly invested in Lance as the quarterback they want to build around moving forward. That’s likely to start this offseason, as Garoppolo is expected to be traded elsewhere, clearing the way for last year’s No. 3 overall pick to usher in a new era.

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WATCH: Trey Lance’s best highlights from 1st NFL preseason

Check out all of the best plays from San Francisco 49ers rookie quarterback Trey Lance in his first NFL preseason

The San Francisco 49ers traded all the way up from No. 12 to No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL draft to make sure they landed one of this year’s top quarterback prospects, and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance was their man.

Jimmy Garoppolo may still be the Week 1 starter, but Lance’s dynamic skill set was on full display throughout the preseason, making it clear that it won’t be long until he takes over.

Watch the video above to see some of Lance’s best plays from his first NFL exhibition action.

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Breaking down Trey Lance’s latest preseason performance

NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger breaks down the latest exhibition outing from San Francisco 49ers rookie quarterback Trey Lance

The San Francisco 49ers made a bold move ahead of the 2021 NFL draft, trading up to the No. 3 overall pick to make sure they landed one of this year’s top franchise quarterback prospects.

North Dakota State’s Trey Lance ended up being their man, and he’s already shown flashes of brilliance that bode well for the future.

Check out the video above to see NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger break down Lance’s most recent preseason performance.

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WATCH: Trey Lance launches 80-yard TD pass in preseason debut

Watch San Francisco 49ers rookie quarterback Trey Lance throw and 80-yard touchdown pass in his preseason debut

The Trey Lance era may have to start sooner than the San Francisco 49ers were originally planning.

There are plenty of reasons why the 49ers traded up to No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL draft to land Lance, and many of them were on full display early in his preseason debut Saturday night.

Lance wasted little time getting the home crowd to its feet, chucking an 80-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs.

We’re probably gonna see a few more of those before the year is over.

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WATCH: 49ers rookie DL Javon Kinlaw rumbles for pick-6 vs. Rams

Watch San Francisco 49ers rookie defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw pick off Jared Goff and take it to the house

The San Francisco 49ers got a big win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, sweeping their NFC West rivals and keeping themselves technically alive in the playoff race.

The biggest play of the day came from rookie defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw, who picked off Rams quarterback Jared Goff and rumbled all the way to the end zone.

The No. 14 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, Kinlaw showed off his impressive athleticism and versatility on the play, and he continues to prove himself to be well worth a top-15 selection with a stellar rookie campaign.

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Why 49ers fans should be excited about Brandon Aiyuk

The San Francisco 49ers landed a perfect fit at wide receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft with Arizona State’s Brandon Aiyuk

One of the NFL’s most exciting offenses just got even more dynamic. With the 25th selection of the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected former Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

The addition of Aiyuk should make an already explosive offense even more dangerous in 2020. It’s no secret that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is one of the brightest offensive minds in all of football, and landing another weapon like Aiyuk should excite Shanahan very much.

Aiyuk is an impressive athlete that jumps off the screen. He punished wide receivers throughout his time at Arizona State. Aiyuk didn’t find a cornerback that he couldn’t run past. Aiyuk features strong hands and understands how to catch the football away from his frame. He was also used in jump-ball situations, showing the leaping ability and awareness to be a weapon in red-zone.

While all of those traits make Aiyuk an intriguing prospect, it’s his game-changing ability in space that made him a first rounder and such a good fit for the 49ers. Aiyuk did his best work after the catch, showing the breakaway speed and acceleration to be a threat to score every time he touches the ball. Aiyuk is simply put as twitchy of an athlete as it gets at the wide receiver position.

We saw how Kyle Shanahan used Deebo Samuel as a rookie. Shanahan was extremely creative with his usage of Samuel, and it lead to an excellent rookie season for the former Gamecock.

Shanahan is getting a similar weapon in Aiyuk, and we can’t wait to see what he has up his sleeve for this season.

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Why 49ers fans should be excited about Javon Kinlaw

The San Francisco 49ers landed a versatile, disruptive defender in South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw

The San Francisco 49ers selected former South Carolina defensive linemen Javon Kinlaw with the 14th pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

Kimlaw is a monster on the defensive line who’s just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. He made a living in the backfield in 2019 by using elite quickness and snap anticipation to penetrate the pocket on a snap-by-snap basis. He possesses a surprising amount of quickness for his size. Kinlaw is the type of special talent on the interior of the defensive line that has the ability to reset the line of scrimmage.

Kinlaw is a defensive tackle with the rare potential to post double-digit sacks annually.

Put the tape on, and it’s easy to see why one can foresee double-digit sack production in his future. In addition to his rare physical traits, Kinlaw has a deep arsenal of pass rush moves in his toolbox. He uses his massive hands and terrifying power to use a bull rush that pushed the pocket backwards on a consistent basis.

Kinlaw has big shoes to fill in the Bay area. In a roundabout way, Kinlaw was selected by the 49ers with the pick that San Francisco acquired from the trade that sent DeForest Buckner to the Colts.

The good news for Kinlaw is that he’s joining a team fresh off of a Super Bowl appearance, and an immensely talented defensive line that already featured Nick Bosa, Solomon Thomas and Arik Armstead. With the right coaching, Kinlaw should reach his potential and become yet another terrifying piece on what’s already an elite defensive line.

Read our exclusive interview with Kinlaw here.

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2020 NFL Draft: San Francisco 49ers team preview

Draft Wire’s Gavino Borquez delivers everything San Francisco 49ers fans need to know heading into the 2020 NFL Draft.

Everything San Francisco 49ers fans need to know heading into the 2020 NFL Draft.

VITALS

Head Coach: Kyle Shanahan

General Manager: John Lynch

2019 record: 13-3

2020 DRAFT PICKS

1 (13)

1 (31)

5 (156)

5 (176)

6 (210)

7 (217)

7 (245)

TEAM NEEDS

Wide receiver

This position was always a need heading into the offseason, but after the 49ers lost WR Emmanuel Sanders, who signed with the Saints in free agency, it became even more glaring.

Defensive tackle

The 49ers traded DeForest Buckner to the Colts. Jullian Taylor, who’s expected to fill in for Buckner, is coming off a severe knee injury. Nose tackle D.J. Jones is also in a contract year.

Cornerback

Richard Sherman and Akhello Witherspoon are entering the final years of their contracts. Witherspoon hasn’t done enough to be retained and Emmanuel Moseley hasn’t proven himself as a long-term solution, either.

Offensive line

After releasing Mike Person, there’s expected to be a three-way competition for right guard between Ben Garland, Shon Coleman and Daniel Brunskill. The 49ers also need to find the successor to tackle Joe Staley.

TOP TARGETS

Jerry Jeudy | WR | Alabama

Denzel Mims | WR | Baylor

Ross Blacklock | DT | TCU

Justin Madubuike | DT | Texas A&M

Josh Jones | OT | Houston

Matt Hennessy | IOL | Temple

Noah Igbinoghene | CB | Auburn

Cameron Dantzler | CB | Mississippi State

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