Jimmy Garoppolo was the 49ers’ starting quarterback today in Detroit, but rookie Trey Lance has already made his presence felt.
The 49ers put Lance in for some red zone action in the first quarter against the Lions, and Lance promptly threw for a touchdown on a play-action pass to Trent Sherfield.
It was a nice pass for Lance, and it was a play that will immediately raise the question of why Garoppolo is the 49ers’ starting quarterback -- and for that matter, why Garoppolo is on the roster at all. Coach Kyle Shanahan obviously thinks Lance is ready, or he wouldn’t be throwing red-zone passes in the first quarter of the first game.
For now, the 49ers have two quarterbacks playing, and Lance has made the biggest impact early on as the 49ers have a 7-0 lead.