Getty Trey Lance warms up before the Week 17 contest versus the Texans during the 2021 season.
Arik Armstead took in the sights and sounds of a Sacramento Kings basketball game on Monday evening, March 7. But not without any San Francisco 49ers questions.
The defensive end and captain was a special guest on the Kings’ NBC Sports post game show following the team’s 131-115 loss to the New York Knicks. And the burning question was fired off: Trey Lance, is it his time to step in?
And to boot, the question came a non-journalist — but from 2017 NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors Matt Barnes.
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Armstead’s Response to Barnes
The 6-foot-7, 285-pound veteran gave the NBC Sports Bay Area analyst Barnes a straightforward answer:
“I think so,” Armstead said. “I think that’s going to be the plan going into this season.”
Arik Armstead is asked if it’s time for Trey Lance to take over as the #49ers’ starting quarterback:
Then, the Sacramento native Armstead described the kind of attitude last year’s No. 3 overall pick delivered to the 49ers during their run to the NFC Championship game.
“Trey’s a young guy who’s very talented and has a great demeanor.” Armstead told Barnes. “He came in and didn’t say too much. Just wanted to learn and try to figure out how to play the position. And I’m excited to see it.”
Armstead not the Only 49ers Defender High on Lance
Armstead isn’t alone on looking forward to watching Lance get to work soon.
Arden Key, the team’s second-leading pass rusher from this past season, hopped on his Instagram Live while on the road to deliver this message to fans:
“Man listen: Trey got better throughout the year,” Key began.
Then came this next bold prediction from the 6-foot-5, 240-pounder.
“He’s going to be a mother f****** dawg,” Key told his followers. “He’s going to be a dawg.”
There’s more from the 49ers’ defensive side. Pro Bowl linebacker Fred Warner hopped on the Richard Sherman Podcast during the week of March 1 and the Ex-49ers cornerback asked Warner about Lance handling the NFL rigors. Warner pointed out how Lance reminds him of himself.
“He’s as mature as they come,” Warner told Sherman. “That’s why he reminds me a lot of myself. I feel like I came in, and that’s what everybody was telling me. ‘Oh yeah, you’re mature for your age.’ And I feel like that’s exactly how he is. He’s got the right mindset. He didn’t come in with this cocky arrogance, like, ‘I’m (the No. 3 overall) pick. I’m this. I’m that.’ He knew exactly where he stood.
“He came in, he was hungry to learn, had a thirst for learning, and asked Jimmy (Garoppolo) all the questions, asked the coaching staff all the questions. (He) even (asked) defensive players, even myself, how to be a pro, and how to compete, and all this kind of stuff,” Warner continued.
Warner also stated how impressed he was seeing Lance’s growing belief in himself as the year went on.
“I think as his confidence continued to grow throughout the year, you started to see those ‘Wow’ moments that we all talk about in the practices. In the couple of games that he did play, I feel like he did some great things in those games as well. I can only say from what I watched from the sidelines during the game, but going against that kid every single day in practice for sure made me a better player,” Warner said. “I think all the DBs, everybody else on the defensive side would say the same thing.”
Fred Warner has high praise for Trey Lance 🤞🙌
