[ad_1]
Rookie quarterback Trey Lance will make his first start for the San Francisco 49ers after Jimmy Garoppolo was ruled out of this week’s game with a calf injury.
Garoppolo injured his calf in the first half of last week’s 28-21 loss to Seattle and left the game at halftime. The Niners were hoping he could come back this week, but Garoppolo never felt healthy enough to train, setting the stage for Lance to start in Arizona on Sunday.
“I feel very prepared,” Lance said on Friday. It’s a credit to the coaching staff and the guys around me. These guys have given me confidence this week and I have confidence in myself.
Coach Kyle Shanahan has said Garoppolo would have played if he was in good health and will return to his starting role as soon as he is restored.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The Niners have been heavily invested in Lance this offseason, trading three first-round picks to take him third in the draft to be the quarterback of the future.
San Francisco wanted to be patient with Lance, who had only had one season as a college rookie in the lower level North Dakota state. Lance only played seven snaps in a situational role the first three weeks before playing the entire second half in last week’s 28-14 loss to Seattle.
Now he has his first chance to start when he looks to become the Niners’ first rookie quarterback to win his first start since Jim Druckenmiller won his only career start in 1997.
“I am delighted to see him play,” said Shanahan. “I know he has the capacity to do a lot of things. But it will be the first time in the whole game. I’m just happy to see him play, but I don’t expect anything. You try. to prepare a guy as good as possible from our point of view. I know he did his part in the preparation. Then when Sunday comes it’s usually the place where you have fun and let go and you live with the results. “
Lance’s results have seen ups and downs in his intensive action last week. He struggled at times with his accuracy, but took advantage of a blown blanket to connect on a 76-yard pass to Deebo Samuel and led a late-game practice topped off with another touchdown pass to Samuel.
He finished 9 for 18 for 157 yards, two touchdowns, a 2-point conversion run and 41 rushing yards.
Lance could be without tight end George Kittle, who is listed as questionable this week with his own calf injury. Kittle survived his injury last week, but wasn’t feeling well enough to train this week, leaving his status for Sunday uncertain.
REMARKSQB Nate Sudfeld will be called up from the practice squad to serve as Lance’s replacement on Sunday. … CB K’Waun Williams (calf) was also ruled out for a second straight game. … DL Samson Ebukam (hamstrings) and DT Javon Kinlaw (knee) are questionable.
[ad_2]
Source link