Trey Lance had one primary mission for his 2021 rookie NFL season: Sit back and learn from veteran 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
During an appearance on Friday’s The Pat McAfee Show, 49ers tight end George Kittle expressed confidence in Lance’s improvement and said the North Dakota State product picked up some nerdy qualities from Garoppolo along the way.
“I think it’s just gotten better,” Kittle said of Lance’s growth. “Jimmy G is a pro through and through. Jimmy G takes notes at every meeting, he asks questions at every meeting, he’s in his books. And I think as soon as Trey sees it, he’s like, ‘Oh, I have to do all this and more.’ “
Although Garoppolo remains on the 49ers’ roster, Lance is widely expected to be the team’s first quarterback in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears. Kittle isn’t 100 percent sure what to expect from Lance, who has only had two NFL starts. But he’s headstrong about the young quarterback’s progress.
“I thought Trey took a few steps forward,” Kittle said. “For Trey to be a really good quarterback in the NFL, he needs repetition. so I’m waiting for it.
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“If you compare him to last year’s OTAs, I think he’s two different players. And that’s just exciting to see.”
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