The 49ers are 2-0 after defeating the Eagles on Sunday, a game in which head coach Kyle Shanahan elected not to play No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance.
Shanahan said Monday that San Francisco isn’t going to play Lance just to play him. But Lance’s lack of snaps in Week Two may also have to do with Jimmy Garoppolo‘s performance as the starter.
Through two games, Garoppolo has completed 71 percent of his passes for 503 yards with no interceptions. He’s averaging 9.1 yards per attempt, taken only one sack, and has a passer rating of 111.4. But many of those passes have been close to the line of scrimmage, with Garoppolo not pushing the ball down the field too much.
Shanahan said that’s not for lack of ability.
“Jimmy, with the way he throws and the torque he has in his upper body, he’s almost just like a jug machine,” Shanahan said, via Alex Didion of NBCSportsBayArea.com. “He can sit there flat-footed and just throw completely from his core with the way his upper body turns and the way his hip turns. He can make almost every throw.
“But Jimmy, as far as his footwork, I think his is the most consistent, the best he’s been at it since I’ve been with him.”
How long that footwork will be able to keep Lance on the bench remains to be seen. But if Garoppolo can continue running the offense efficiently and effectively, Lance will have all the time he needs to get ready to start.
Kyle Shanahan: Jimmy Garoppolo’s footwork is the best it’s been since joining 49ers originally appeared on Pro Football Talk