Trey Lance and Other NFL Stars That Teams Would Be Foolish to Give Up On
The San Francisco 49ers may or may not be ready to give up on third-year quarterback Trey Lance.
It's clear Brock Purdy is their favored signal-caller right now, and there has been trade chatter throughout the offseason, but ESPN's Nick Wagoner also reported that the team would still likely turn down a "substantial" offer for the 2021 No. 3 overall draft pick.
Regardless, practically everyone has their price, and it's entirely possible the 49ers will throw him overboard sooner than later.
With that in mind, let's look at his case along with a handful of other players who teams should exhibit patience with despite the temptation to bail.
Lance, Brock Purdy and the 49ers All Need More Time
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Yes, the three first-round picks the 49ers spent on Lance are now a complete sunk cost. Holding onto hope for the sake of that investment would be emotional, not logical. But could you really blame the team for wanting to be absolutely sure he's not the real deal before giving up?
Purdy had an encouraging and surprising rookie season, and that also means something. But he was the last pick in the draft for a reason, and the sample size remains small for a dude who could be a flash in the pan. They can't assume he's going to keep rising as defenses become more familiar with him as a sophomore in 2023.
Speaking of small samples, Lance has started only four games in his professional career. He just turned 23 in May. And he'll cost the team just $20.2 million over the next two years, according to Spotrac.
So why not at least hedge with him?
On several occasions in recent years, quarterbacks have excelled as slightly or completely late-bloomers after a lot of onlookers wrote them off early. If Lance becomes another Tua Tagovailoa, Lamar Jackson or even Ryan Tannehill in a new setting, and if Purdy comes back to earth, the 49ers will be filled with regret.
There's Still Something About Taylor Heinicke
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Maybe it's just me, and there's probably a good reason both the Washington Commanders and Atlanta Falcons have prioritized unproven young non-first-round picks over him since the conclusion of the 2022 season, but I still think the Falcons should keep a short leash on Desmond Ridder and prepare to give a real shot to veteran sometimes-backup-sometimes-starter Taylor Heinicke.
Heinicke's 30 now, but that's young when you're a gently used quarterback in this day and age. And he's had some nice moments. Two years ago in Washington, he went on an undefeated four-game tear in which he posted a 110.0 passer rating. And in 2022 in the same city, he wrapped up the campaign with another triple-digit rating in a four-game span.
Among quarterbacks with at least 50 deep passing attempts in 2022, the Old Dominion product ranked third behind only Jalen Hurts and Joe Burrow with a 115.5 rating on said throws.
He's not your typical undrafted journeyman backup. In the right setting, he might even have the ability to become an above-average starter. And there's a very good chance he's got more potential than the much younger but completely unproven Ridder.
If the 23-year-old struggles out of the gate, the team has to make the switch and give Heinicke a fair shot.
Breece Hall Can't Be Totally Eclipsed by Dalvin Cook
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The New York Jets are all in, so few can fault them for signing veteran Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook this month.
However, my fear is that because the team has committed a hefty-for-a-running-back total of $8.6 million to the potentially declining Cook, they'll stubbornly keep him on the field even if promising young standout Breece Hall can do more for the team.
It happens in this business all the time. Hall is a lot cheaper and obviously has a less spectacular resume at age 22. But the 2022 second-round pick was fire when he was healthy as a rookie.
Among running backs with at least 80 carries, he ranked No. 1 in the NFL with a 5.8 yards-per-attempt average before suffering a torn ACL in Week 7.
And while it would be good for the Jets to ease him back to action considering that he's still reportedly dealing with some knee soreness at camp, the team can't afford to develop tunnel vision for Cook and forget about Hall in the meantime.
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Rondale Moore Could Be a Victim of Circumstances
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Slumpy or injury-derailed rookie seasons are often forgiven, but you start to see teams lose focus with players as soon as they've failed to make things right in Year 2.
Hopefully that won't be the case with the Arizona Cardinals and wide receiver Rondale Moore, who has caught just two touchdown passes in two NFL seasons after the team selected him in the second round of the 2021 draft.
This is sort of the less extreme or glamorous wide receiver version of Lance's case in San Francisco. Moore has struggled to remain on the field and has thus fallen victim to an "out of sight, out of mind" scenario.
The good news is he should get plenty of opportunities in Arizona's offense with DeAndre Hopkins off the roster. The bad news is he's still competing with the super-talented Marquise Brown, he's coming off groin and finger surgeries himself, and he won't have injured franchise quarterback Kyler Murray to start the year (if not for much or all of it).
Moore has the talent to become something great in this league, but a multitude of circumstances haven't favored him thus far in his career. The Cardinals would be smart to acknowledge that reality and give the 23-year-old plenty of time.
Remember Chase Claypool?
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Chase Claypool scored nine touchdowns as a rookie with the 2020 Pittsburgh Steelers and followed that up with a second consecutive 800-plus-yard campaign as a sophomore.
The reality is those numbers might have been better if the Steelers offense didn't have a tendency to ignore the 25-year-old in favor of Diontae Johnson and/or JuJu Smith-Schuster. At the very least, a crowded receiving corps made that tough.
Last season, the team straight-up bailed on Claypool after he appeared to become frustrated with a transitioning, often stagnant offense. But he went on to catch just 14 passes in seven games following a midseason trade to the Chicago Bears, which might make it easy to forget about the Canadian.
It doesn't help that the Bears—who already had Darnell Mooney and Equanimeous St. Brown on the roster—made a big trade for veteran DJ Moore in the offseason, or that quarterback Justin Fields appears to have a long way to go as a passer.
Still, the Bears hierarchy has to consider those dynamics when moving forward. It is imperative Chicago keeps in mind just how high Claypool can fly in the right situation. Especially because he looks to be inspired ahead of a critical contract year.
Don't Overlook How Good Chase Young Was in 2020
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But Claypool isn't the only "Chase" who has fallen from grace in the two seasons that have elapsed since he came into the league in 2020. Chase Young was often ridiculous during a Defensive Rookie of the Year, Pro Bowl campaign for Washington that season.
The problem is the edge-defender has played in just 11 games the last two years, and a 2020 showing featuring 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and an impact well beyond the stat sheet feels quite far off.
The Commanders admitted as much, while also showing a lack of faith in Young's ability to rebound and/or stay healthy, when the team declined his fifth-year option for 2024 this offseason. Now, he's entering a contract year, he's "feeling explosive again" after a knee injury did a number on 2021 and 2022, and it's important to note he only turned 24 in April.
Chase Young with something to prove and health on his side is a scary thought. If it comes together as it easily could, Washington might soon regret not securing his services for 2024 in advance.
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