49ers’ Failed Investment: The Story Behind the Trey Lance Trade

A Risk That Never Paid Off
The San Francisco 49ers made a bold move in the 2021 NFL Draft, trading three first-round picks to move up and select quarterback Trey Lance with the third overall pick. At the time, the decision was seen as a franchise-altering investment, one that would secure the team’s future for years to come. Fast forward to today, and Lance is no longer on the roster. His time in San Francisco was short, unfulfilled, and filled with questions. How did such a high-profile investment fail so spectacularly?

The Cost of Moving Up
To land Trey Lance, the 49ers gave up a fortune. The team traded their 2021, 2022, and 2023 first-round picks, along with a third-rounder, to move up to the third overall spot. The price was steep, but the 49ers believed Lance’s potential was worth it. They saw him as the future face of the franchise, an athletic, strong-armed quarterback who could bring a new dimension to their offense. However, from the very beginning, things did not go as planned.

Injuries and Missed Opportunities
Lance’s development was derailed almost immediately. As a rookie, he sat behind Jimmy Garoppolo, playing sparingly in limited packages. The following season, he was finally named the starter, but his chance was cut short by a season-ending ankle injury in just the second game. By the time he was ready to return, the 49ers had moved on. Brock Purdy, the last pick of the 2022 draft, emerged as an unexpected star, while Lance found himself sliding further down the depth chart.

The Decision to Move On
Heading into the 2023 season, it became clear that Trey Lance had no future in San Francisco. With Purdy established as the starter and Sam Darnold brought in as the backup, Lance became the odd man out. The 49ers made the difficult decision to trade him to the Dallas Cowboys for a fourth-round pick—an astonishingly low return for a player they once viewed as a franchise savior. The move signaled the official end of the Trey Lance era in San Francisco, a stunningly quick downfall for a player once surrounded by so much hype.

A Franchise Setback?
For a team as well-run as the 49ers, the failure of the Lance experiment is a rare blemish on their record. The massive investment in Lance meant missing out on multiple first-round talents who could have helped the team in other areas. While the 49ers have remained competitive despite this mistake, there is no denying that the draft picks lost in the trade could have been used to strengthen the roster in a more meaningful way.

Lessons Learned
The Trey Lance saga will serve as a cautionary tale for teams across the NFL. Taking a big swing on a quarterback is always a gamble, but giving up multiple high-value picks makes the stakes even higher. The 49ers believed they had found their future, but instead, they were left with one of the most expensive mistakes in recent draft history.

Moving Forward
Despite the failure of the Trey Lance experiment, the 49ers remain a powerhouse in the NFC. Brock Purdy has stepped into the role of franchise quarterback, and the team’s core remains strong. However, the front office will likely be more cautious in the future when making aggressive moves at the quarterback position. As for Lance, he now has a fresh start in Dallas, hoping to rewrite his story in a new environment.

The question remains: Was this just an unfortunate misstep for the 49ers, or will it have long-term consequences for their championship window? Only time will tell.