The 49ers knew they had to bolster the position after
Jimmy Garoppolo’s injury-riddled 2020 season, one in which he was forced to the sideline in two of his six starts. That sent them on a high-profile pursuit in which they considered trading for
Matthew Stafford, looked into free agents like Andy Dalton and flew across the country to watch Lance, Alabama’s
Mac Jones and Ohio State’s
Justin Fields.
It was like a reality show: “Who Wants to be the 49ers Quarterback?” Lance was the winner, and to hear Lynch and Shanahan tell it, the competition wasn’t nearly as close as it was portrayed. The 49ers’ power duo said they fell for Lance immediately and knew who they would be picking two weeks ago.
As soon as San Francisco made its dramatic trade with Miami to acquire pick No. 3 on March 26, prominent national reporters linked them to Alabama’s Jones, whose accuracy and pocket poise seemed well-suited for Shanahan’s style.
Wrong, Shanahan said.
“I was in Mexico the day we made the trade, and within hours there’s at least two people out there speculating what their opinions are, that we’re taking Mac Jones,” he said. “Ever since then I’ve watched every single person assume that was accurate and that those weren’t opinions but fact. We didn’t feel that way from the beginning.”
Contrary to speculation, Shanahan said he wasn’t seeking someone who played while tethered to the pocket. Lance is 6-foot-4, 225 pounds and ran for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns during North Dakota State’s undefeated 2019 season. His highlight reel is full of him running past — and over — defensive backs and linebackers.
