{"id":29752,"date":"2022-07-30T01:01:52","date_gmt":"2022-07-30T01:01:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/kawakami-wait-hes-funny-what-trey-lances-wry-humor-could-mean-for-his-49ers-tenure\/"},"modified":"2022-07-30T01:01:52","modified_gmt":"2022-07-30T01:01:52","slug":"kawakami-wait-hes-funny-what-trey-lances-wry-humor-could-mean-for-his-49ers-tenure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/kawakami-wait-hes-funny-what-trey-lances-wry-humor-could-mean-for-his-49ers-tenure\/","title":{"rendered":"Kawakami: Wait, he’s funny? What Trey Lance’s wry humor could mean for his 49ers tenure"},"content":{"rendered":"
Here’s an early review of Trey Lance after two training camp days in the spotlight: He’s light on his feet, he’s smart, he isn’t afraid of the big stage and he’s consistently entertaining.<\/p>\n
And that was just during his wry performance with the media on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Why should anybody really care that Lance is revealing a very funny side now that he’s the 49ers’ unquestioned starting quarterback? Well, Jimmy Garoppolo’s low-key, blue-collar amiability during pressers was the exact personality that his teammates related with and loved so much. Garoppolo is a nice guy with a quiet but very real competitive fire, and all of that translated to the field.<\/p>\n
And now, after spending a year very much trying to avoid any headlines that would be uncomfortable for him, Garoppolo, and the team, we’re getting a looser Lance up at the podium. Which means he’s providing more information about his style and the way he’s dealing with his first year as a starter, Kyle Shanahan’s system and all else that this job encompasses. And not surprisingly, it’s a little different than the way Garoppolo did it, and not just on the field.<\/p>\n
For instance, when I asked Lance about the few times during Thursday’s team drills when Shanahan briefly spoke to him quite animatedly after incompletions, Lance’s answer was focused but also light-hearted in a way that Garoppolo probably never would’ve attempted.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m asking what he thought about it or if he saw something different,\u201d Lance said of his practice interactions with Shanahan, who always stands right behind the QB during the plays. \u201cHe goes through the play with us, so he’s always pointing to where he would’ve gone with the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wait for it.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven if he couldn’t have made the throw,\u201d Lance said with a smile. \u201cIt’s fun, and it helps me out a lot. Him standing right behind always, and he sees every single play.\u201d<\/p>\n
Or this answer when he was asked if the start of this camp feels markedly different now that Shanahan and his teammates have publicly committed to Lance as QB1:<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, the only difference: I was hoping you guys would stop asking about it all the time,\u201d Lance said, jokingly. Then he continued: \u201cFor me, there wasn’t really a moment or anything like that. I mean I’ve been excited. I’ve been preparing to play since I got here, since the day I got drafted.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m obviously excited for this year, but nothing has really changed this offseason.\u201d<\/p>\n
Or when Lance either accidentally or slyly offered up a potential timeline for cornerback Jason Verrett to come off of the PUP list: \u201cIt’ll be good to get JV back soon, hopefully in these next few weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n
At that moment, you could see the thought bubble over Lance’s head: Oops! Nobody but Shanahan is supposed to give out injury timelines, and sometimes even Shanahan won’t do that. Such as with Verrett at the start of camp.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don’t know, I didn’t mean the next few weeks,\u201d Lance said with a sheepish grin. \u201cI have no idea<\/em> what his timeline is.\u201d<\/p>\n Trey Lance is at the podium. #49ersCamp<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/8VgSggp63j<\/p>\n \u2014 San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) July 28, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n OK, I’m not saying that Lance is due to host a comedy special soon. I’m just pointing out that many of us doubted there was a very quick-witted side to Lance last year that he was waiting to break out and that it would be an important part of the way he leads this offense and this team.<\/p>\n \u201cLast year, I was definitely in a different spot mentally, I would say,\u201d Lance said. \u201cJust feeling a lot more confident this year coming in, knowing what I’m doing, knowing the offense a lot better, knowing the guys a lot better. Having been around this organization and this coaching staff for a year, I think it’ll be a great thing.\u201d<\/p>\n We’re also starting to get a feel for how the situation worked last year, when Lance was the obvious heir apparent but Garoppolo got one last season as the starter \u2014 and remained a very, very popular starter.<\/p>\n It might’ve had some awkward moments last year, and there might be more coming: Garoppolo reported to camp on Tuesday, passed his physical and now is in limbo as the 49ers try to find a trade. The 49ers might eventually just have to release him in the next few weeks if no trade is found. And Garoppolo was seen in the weight room adjacent to the practice field on Wednesday, so he might be around a bit, too.<\/p>\n But all indications are that Garoppolo and Lance have always been supportive of each other; Garoppolo isn’t a grumbler and Lance isn’t a plotter. It would’ve been dumb and sourly self-defeating for either to try to blow it up in 2021, and neither one is dumb or sour. So, whichever way the Garoppolo situation is resolved, Lance doesn’t seem much bothered by any of it now. He’s got a huge season coming up.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is what it is, it’s nothing weird at all,\u201d Lance said. \u201cI’ve never had anything I could possibly say that’s bad about Jimmy. He’s been a big bro to me since the day I came in. He could’ve made things hell for me, honestly, last year. He didn’t. He helped me out with everything.\u201d<\/p>\n And in his own way, Lance has already begun forming bonds with key members of the locker room. He worked out with Brandon Aiyuk right after Lance was drafted, and the two have kept up that relationship. It’s obviously a good one.<\/p>\n Aiyuk was comfortable enough to relate that Lance recently told him (jokingly) he thought that Aiyuk was giving him dirty looks last year. They kept working out together back then and were frequent workout partners last offseason, with Lance getting ready to take over the offense. So obviously the looks weren’t that<\/em> dirty, right, Trey?<\/p>\n \u201cIf you know anything about Brandon, he doesn’t talk a lot,\u201d Lance said, chuckling. \u201cSo the first couple times we worked out together, he didn’t talk to me at all. Right after I got drafted, he said, ‘What’s up,’ to me and we went to work. But I learned really quickly that’s how he carries himself. He’s about his work. He’s about business when he is on the field. And even when he is not, but yeah, we’ve gotten really close this offseason and I’m super excited for him this year.\u201d<\/p>\n We’re just getting started.#49ersCamp<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Lcqp5NZ4QM<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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