What now for Trey Lance and the 49ERS?
Trey Lance sent social media and the 49ers Faithful into a spin and now the thought on everyone’s minds is ‘When will Lance get more first-team reps?’ As for the answer, we’ll leave it to coach.
Trey Lance sent social media and the 49ers Faithful into a spin with an enticing debut (preseason) performance against Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs in Santa Clara.
Lance gave 49ers their first look since being drafted by Kyle Shanahan with Pick 2 in the 2021 NFL Draft, going 5-for-14, with 128 Passing Yards, 1 TD and a 93.7 QB Rating.
What really sent the NFL world into overdrive though was Lance’s 80-yard touchdown bomb to Trent Sherfield, his first completion of the ballgame.
The thought on everyone’s minds is ‘When will Lance get more first-team reps?’ As for the answer, we’ll leave it to coach.
“I don’t know,” Shanahan told San Francisco reporters . “I haven’t really defined that for myself either. Just when I think it feels right, when he seems ready, when I think the team seems ready.
“I mean, we’ll continue to mix him in there. But I don’t plan on just doing that completely. But Trey, what he showed in that game is, you know, I wish I could have left them there longer. I know he enjoys playing and he’s only been able to play one game in over a year, but I think it was good for him to get out.
“I think he started out good, got a little excited sometimes which he does. And you get a little excited, some of your technique and stuff you lose which will be fun to watch with him. Trey’s a guy who’s tough on himself and loves to correct things and since we’ve had him he’s been very good at correcting mistakes.”
The most glaring error, according to the Niners head coach, occurred when Lance failed to throw the ball away and was resultantly sacked. It was one of four occasions where Lance was sacked by the Chiefs defense.
“I think the worst one was the one down in the red zone,” Shanahan said. “They did an all-out blitz and we were in an empty formation and he’s got to get rid of that to his hot throws. So that was the main one that was on him.
“On the other ones, you can always get rid of it when someone doesn’t hold up in protection too long, but I think it would have been tough to, especially some of the down and distance we were in. But there was one that he definitely needed to get rid of just because of the blitz that they brought.”
Lance has brought an electricity to the Niners, reminiscent of the excitement during their Super Bowl season of 2019. Whether he’s capable of delivering a similar outcome time will tell.
Though I can think of one man who is…
Deshaun Watson expected not to travel with Texans for opening preseason game
The battle between Deshaun Watson and the Texans rumbles on.
The battle between Deshaun Watson and the Texans rumbles on.
Houston’s No. 4 will not travel to Green Bay for their preseason opener, if their GM Nick Caseiro is to be believed.
Speaking to SportsRadio 610 in Houston, the former Patriots employee said “I don’t expect him to play.”
Speculation surrounds Watson’s immediate playing future — both with the Texans, and in the league more broadly — is under a cloud due to his current legal situation.
Caseiro added “there’s been a lot of speculation” and “a lot of moving parts” regarding the Clemson product. What is clear, in a rather murky situation, is Watson doesn’t want to be in Houston.
Whatever happens with the legal side of things it seems
NFL announces Preseason TV schedule
An enormous 23 games will be shown on the league’s broadcast channel…this includes to quadruple-headers in Weeks 1 and 2 before two doses of triple-headers in Week 3.
The NFL announced this week there will be a record number of preseason games will be shown on NFL Network.
Let’s hope we’ll see more of this!
Importantly, all preseason games will be shown on NFL GamePass, which is fantastic news for international and American fans alike.
An enormous 23 games will be shown on the league’s broadcast channel will show eight games through Weeks 1-2 before a final seven during the third and final week of preseason.
This includes to quadruple-headers in Weeks 1 and 2 before two doses of triple-headers in Week 3.
The Football Team kick off NFL Network’s coverage on August 12 at New England, where we should get our first official look at Mac Jones in a Patriots uniform.
Trevor Lawrence is likely to hit your screens on August 14 as Urban Meyer and the Jags host AFC rivals, Cleveland.
Media and fans alike will be hoping to get a glimpse of Jordan Love too, which may come as early as Week 2 (August 21) at home to Zac Wilson and Gang Green.
Below is a full list of the games to air on NFL Network across the preseason:
Week 1
Thursday, August 12
7:30 PM ET – Washington Football Team vs. New England Patriots
Friday, August 13
7:00 PM ET – Buffalo Bills vs. Detroit Lions
10:00 PM ET – Dallas Cowboys vs. Arizona Cardinals
Saturday, August 14
1:00 PM ET – Miami Dolphins vs. Chicago Bears
4:00 PM ET – Denver Broncos vs. Minnesota Vikings
7:00 PM ET – Cleveland Browns vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
10:00 PM ET – Los Angeles Chargers vs. Los Angeles Rams
Sunday, August 15
1:00 PM ET – Carolina Panthers vs. Indianapolis Colts
Week 2
Thursday, August 19
7:30 PM ET – New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Friday, August 20
8:00 PM ET – Cincinnati Bengals vs. Washington Football Team
Saturday, August 21
1:00 PM ET – Buffalo Bills vs. Chicago Bears
4:25 PM ET – New York Jets vs. Green Bay Packers
7:30 PM ET – Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
10:00 PM ET – Las Vegas Raiders vs. Los Angeles Rams
Sunday, August 22
1:00 PM ET – New York Giants vs. Cleveland Browns
7:30 PM ET – San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Week 3
Friday, August 27
8:00 PM ET – Minnesota Vikings vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Saturday, August 28
1:00 PM ET – Green Bay Packers vs. Buffalo Bills
7:00 PM ET – Chicago Bears vs. Tennessee Titans
10:00 PM ET – Los Angeles Chargers vs. Seattle Seahawks
Sunday, August 29
1:00 PM ET – Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Dallas Cowboys
4:00 PM ET – Las Vegas Raiders vs. San Francisco 49ers
6:00 PM ET – New England Patriots vs. New York Giants
For American fans — NFL Network will blackout live games shown concurrently in local markets.
NFL Training Camps begin this week- When does your team return?
Football season is fast approaching with the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers kicking off their respective training camps on Wednesday.
Football season is fast approaching with the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers kicking off their respective training camps on Wednesday.
All players from the Cowboys and Steelers are scheduled to report, with the teams facing off in the Hall of Fame Game on August 5.
The reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host its rookies on Tuesday, with veterans coming through on Saturday.
Below you will find exactly when each team reports for training camp ahead of the NFL preseason which begins on Thursday, August 12.
Reporting dates and locations for NFL training camps this offseason - courtesy of NFL Communications.
NFL announces joint practices - Who your team is playing and why
After practicing against your own same players throughout OTAs and training camp, it is a great opportunity to move through different plays, schemes against foreign opponents.
Not all 32 teams are participating in joint practices though. Only 21 teams are will involve themselves with another organization.
Joint practices aren’t a new phenomenon in the NFL. They essentially act as an opportunity for teams and players to go through scrimmages against different personnel.
After practicing against your own same players throughout OTAs and training camp, it is a great opportunity to move through different plays, schemes against foreign opponents.
Not all 32 teams are participating in joint practices though. Only 21 teams are will involve themselves with another organization.
New Orleans and Jacksonville were set to meet in Louisiana on August 20, but since the release of the schedule both teams have confirmed otherwise.
Teams NOT involved in joint practices this offseason:
Arizona Cardinals
Buffalo Bills
Cincinnati Bengals
Detroit Lions
Houston Texans
Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs
New Orleans Saints
Pittsburgh Steelers
Seattle Seahawks
Washington Football Team
Some teams will engage in two bouts of joint practices; the Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles, and both the New York clubs (Jets and Giants).
Arguably, the most famous joint practice moment of recent memory involved then-Houston’s DeAndre Hopkins and Washington’s DeAngelo Hall getting into it. Things got interesting, real quick…
Thankfully for DB’s everywhere their ankles won’t be tested by D-Hop until preseason at the earliest.
Full list of this year’s joint practices:
Courtesy of NFL Communications