Are the 49ers Trying to Pump Up Trey Lance's Trade Value?

The 49ers will spend the next few months trying to create the impression that they believe in Lance after they spent the past two years creating the impression that they don't believe in him.

All of a sudden, the 49ers want to know why everyone thinks they're down on Trey Lance.

Remember, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported more than a month ago that Sam Darnold "more likely than not" will start Week 1 over Lance if Brock Purdy is still recovering from elbow surgery. Apparently, the 49ers called Rapoport recently to push back on his report and question why he thinks they're down on Lance -- that's what Rapoport said on The Pat McAfee Show.

Why would Rapoport think the 49ers are down on Lance?

I don't know, maybe it's because the 49ers seemed to shop Lance during the draft.

Maybe it's because they haven't said anything nice on the record about Lance for years other than how good of a person he is.

Maybe it's because they somehow seem sold on Brock Purdy after eight starts and an elbow surgery.

Maybe it's because George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey sit courtside with Darnold at every Warriors home playoff game.

Maybe it's because a month ago Kyle Shanahan said Darnold has as good of a skillset as there is.

Maybe it's because senior 49ers beat writer Matt Maiocco, who's more connected with the 49ers organization than anyone, recently said Darnold has the best arm of any 49ers quarterback ever, including Joe Montana and Steve Young.

Maybe it's because of all that.

It seems clear that the 49ers would like to trade Lance. It also seems clear that they haven't gotten good offers for him, and that's because they have created the impression that they think Darnold is better than Lance. And that only hurts Lance's trade value.

So now the 49ers will change the narrative and attempt a pump 'n dump. Meaning they will stop talking about Darnold, and do small things that suggest they like Lance, such as post pictures on their website of him practicing, praise him in the offseason, wish him happy birthday, maybe even let him start the first few weeks until Purdy is ready to return. And they will do this to try to raise Lance's trade value, which they tanked by gushing over Darnold, whom they'll stash on the bench until late in the season if they need him, just as they did with Purdy last year.

In essence, the 49ers will spend the next few months trying to create the impression that they believe in Lance after they spent the past two years creating the impression that they don't believe in him. Good luck.

And here's the irony. If Lance starts, he might just play well and win. And then instead of trading him, the 49ers could change their minds, decide that he's their franchise quarterback and say that they believed in him all along.

Isn't that how the 49ers do business?