49ers excited to see QB in preseason

Coach Kyle Shanahan knows that in the big picture, it won’t matter how well Trey Lance plays in his exhibition debut for the 49ers.

That doesn’t dampen Shanahan’s excitement to see his rookie first-round quarterback take the field in a game for the first time Aug. 14 when the Niners host the Chiefs in an exhibition game.

“It’s fun to watch quarterbacks go out there for the first time,” Shanahan said Aug. 12. “But I don’t get nervous for the person or anything like that. It’s fun to watch. I know no one’s going to remember how his first preseason game is, but they will the next day. That’s all right. I know rookies get some butterflies. It is a big deal for them. But the reality of it is it is an experience for them. I think Trey is going to make the team so he doesn’t have to go out there and just freak out about that. But he knows a lot of eyes will be on him.”

A lot of eyes have been on Lance ever since the 49ers drafted him in April after trading three first-round picks for the No. 3 selection.

San Francisco is working Lance in gradually behind starter Jimmy Garoppolo but the rookie has impressed during training camp.

But there are some things he can’t truly experience until game action, like how to deal with getting the play call from the sideline in a loud stadium and how to make the decision about when to slide, dive headfirst, go out of bounds or take a hit when scrambling.

Shanahan wants Lance to stay on his feet on scrambles in practice to avoid any chance of an injury but drills him afterward on what he would have done in a real game. He’s been pleased with the answers so far but now gets to see it for real.