On momentous day for 49ers, Kyle Shanahan doesn't hold a press conference
The decision to make Sam Darnold the No. 2 quarterback in San Francisco carries with it a major implication. Two years after the 49ers gave up three first-round picks and a third-round pick to acquire Trey Lance with the third overall pick in the draft, he has slipped to No. 3 — at best — on the depth chart.
The situation cries out for explanation and elaboration from coach Kyle Shanahan, a quarterback whisperer who has had a string of scream-out-loud failures at the position since 2017. But, as our friend and former PFT Live producer Rob "Stats" Guerrera points out on Twitter, Shanahan opted not to meet with reporters on Wednesday, opting instead for a pre-taped interview with flagship station KNBR.
Shanahan is under no obligation to face the music from a shotgun spray of reporters who cover the team. The decision to avoid reporters could be aimed at sidestepping the question of whether, for example, Brandon Allen and not Lance lands at third on the depth chart.
It feels as if the 49ers are trying to finesse a trade for Lance. Last year, they wanted too much for Jimmy Garoppolo, while ultimately needing him. This year, they need to just get what they can for Lance and move on, giving him a fresh start in a place where he has a potential path to playing.
That's something he doesn't have in San Francisco — unless two (or maybe three) other quarterbacks get injured.
