Lance to make first start
49ers rookie inserted into lineup in place of injured QB Garoppolo
Rookie quarterback Trey Lance will make his first start for the San Francisco 49ers after Jimmy Garoppolo was ruled out of this week’s game with a calf injury.
Garoppolo hurt his calf in the first half of last week’s 28-21 loss to Seattle and left the game at halftime. The Niners were hopeful he could return this week but Garoppolo never felt healthy enough to practice, setting the stage for Lance to start Sunday at Arizona.
“I feel very prepared,” Lance said Friday. “I really do. It’s a credit to the coaching staff and the guys around me. Those guys made me feel really confident this week and I feel confident in myself.”
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Garoppolo would have played if he was healthy and will regain his starting role as soon as he is recovered.
The Niners invested heavily in Lance this offseason, trading three first-round picks to take him third overall in the draft to be quarterback of the future.
Broncos: Teddy Bridgewater is trending toward starting Sunday against Pittsburgh one week after suffering a concussion in Denver’s loss to Baltimore. But he could be without his top receiver. Courtland Sutton turned an ankle at practice and was added to the injury report as questionable.
Browns: Star defensive end and NFL sacks leader Myles Garrett expects to play Sunday against the L.A. Chargers despite missing his second practice of the week on Friday due to soreness.
Panthers: Carolina listed running back Christian Mccaffrey as doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Eagles. This comes after Mccaffrey practiced all three days on a limited basis this week. He missed last week’s game against Dallas with a strained hamstring.
Seahawks: Quarterback Russell Wilson is expected to be out several weeks after he had surgery on his injured right middle finger. Wilson posted a photo Friday night following his surgery in Southern California. Wilson flew to Los Angeles to see a hand specialist and determine the best course of action to repair the injury.
Titans: Tennessee placed linebacker Jayon Brown, rookie wide receiver Racey Mcmath, offensive lineman Aaron Brewer and tight end Tommy Hudson on injured reserve.
Notes: The NFL reacted strongly and quickly to a report that Jon Gruden used a racist comment about NFL Players Association leader Demaurice Smith in an email 10 years ago. A Wall Street Journal story noted that Gruden,
Trey Lance of the 49ers throws the ball during the third quarter against the Seahawks at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday. Lance is viewed as San Francisco’s quarterback of the future after the 49ers traded three first-round picks to take him with the third overall selection in the draft. Lance completed 9 of 18 attempts for 157 yards and two touchdowns in the second half last week after replacing injured starter Jimmy Garoppolo, who left at halftime with a calf injury. then working for ESPN and now coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, referred in a racist way to Smith’s facial features. “The email from Jon Gruden denigrating Demaurice Smith is appalling, abhorrent and wholly contrary to the NFL’S values,” NFL spokesman Brian Mccarthy said. “We condemn the statement and regret any harm that its publication may inflict on Mr. Smith or anyone else.” The league is looking into the matter and a person familiar with that probe told The Associated Press that disciplinary action is possible for Gruden. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details of any league probe are not made public . ... The NFL accused Dallas offensive lineman La’el Collins of trying to bribe a drug-testing official before the player was suspended five games for a violation of the substanceabuse policy, according to court documents. The allegation surfaced in a federal court case after Collins sued the league, its management council and commissioner Roger Goodell while seeking an injunction to stop the suspension with two games remaining. The NFL said the person who collects specimens for testing wrote in his notes that in November 2020, Collins asked to meet with him “man to man” and said he felt he was “being tested too much because (they) were seeing each other every day.” The collector said Collins asked if there was something “we could do” and offered $5,000, and later $10,000, according to the NFL’S filing in response to Collins’ request for an injunction. Player agent Peter Schaffer, one of Collins’ representatives, strongly denied the allegations of bribery against Collins, who was recovering from hip surgery at the time and didn’t play in 2020.