SANTA CLARA (Calif.) -- Jimmy Garoppolo will not be the only San Francisco 49ers' quarterback to have to remain in the Bay Area during the team's bye week due to an injury.
Coach Kyle Shanahan announced Monday that Trey Lance, a rookie signal-caller, had suffered a left knee injury in Sunday's 17-10 loss against the Arizona Cardinals.
Lance underwent an MRI Monday morning. He isn't likely to miss too much time, considering the 49ers are currently on bye. They won't play again until Oct. 24, when they face the Indianapolis Colts.
Shanahan stated that although it is not a serious injury, they said they wouldn't know until later. He'll need to be here for the bye week, get treatment, and all that. By the end of next week we should know if he is going to Indy. They said it should be a one-to two-week process, but maybe just one.
Lance stated that despite receiving many hits, he felt fine after Sunday's defeat. Lance was 15-of-29 and ran 192 yards, with an interception. He also had 16 carries for just 89 yards.
Shanahan was told by Lance that he felt something strange in his knees just before he went into bed on Sunday night.
Shanahan said that neither Lance nor he could pinpoint the exact moment at which the injury occurred. Lance will need to spend Week 7 with Garoppolo for rehab.
Shanahan stated, "I was playing with Trey and Jimmy that Jimmy just got some company." "So, they'll both be here the whole week to give them the best chance of being ready for Monday when they all return."
Shanahan maintained that Garoppolo would be back in the starting position once he recovers from his right-calf injury. Shanahan expressed optimism that Garoppolo would be able to return to the starting lineup against the Colts. This is despite the fact that he was almost able to play against Arizona, and that he has another week to recover.
Shanahan watched the tape of Lance's first game and said Monday that Lance was "proud" of his performance against a strong team in a difficult environment. Shanahan noted Lance's aggressiveness and expressed satisfaction with his rookie quarterback's ability to rebound from an interception.
However, Shanahan's long-term outlook on quarterback has not changed despite the fact that the 2-3 Niners are currently in a losing streak of three games.
Shanahan stated, "It doesn’t change my view big-picture." "Trey has the ability to win games. He was an integral part of the reason we were able to win yesterday's game. He was a great coach and I wish we had played better together. He wasn't perfect, but he gave us a good chance of winning that game. I am confident that we will continue to have a great time with him. It's not just about which player you choose, it's a bigger decision. It's not just about the quarterback. There are many other factors involved.
