49ers CEO addresses if he regrets drafting Trey Lance

It sounds like San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York would do everything necessary to draft quarterback Trey Lance a second time. 

"I wouldn’t change anything that we’ve made about the decision with Trey," York told reporters at the annual league meetings, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. "I think Trey has a chance to be great. But it’s a bonus when you get somebody at the end of the seventh round that ends up coming in and being very impactful for your team." 

In March 2021, the 49ers traded the No. 12 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, a 2022 third-round choice and first-round picks in 2022 and 2023 to the Miami Dolphins for pick No. 3 in that year's player selection process, which San Francisco used to acquire Lance. Since that time, Lance has made just four career regular-season starts, and he missed the majority of this past campaign after he went down with a serious ankle injury in Week 2. 

Meanwhile, the 49ers used the final pick of last year's draft to land signal-caller Brock Purdy. Purdy became a rookie sensation and went 7-0 as a starter, playoffs included, until he suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow during the NFC Championship Game. Earlier this week, San Francisco general manager John Lynch referred to Purdy as "probably the leader in the clubhouse" to be the club's starting quarterback whenever the 23-year-old is cleared to play. 

Lynch also indicated he isn't shopping Lance to any would-be buyers this spring, while York pointed out it's a plus for the 49ers that both Lance and Purdy are on relatively inexpensive contracts for 2023. 

"There’s a delta in what you’re spending on your quarterback versus what somebody else is spending on their quarterback," York explained. "And I hope one of these three guys (including free-agency acquisition Sam Darnold) gets a massive, massive extension with the San Francisco 49ers at some point. But until then, we’re going to make sure we build this thing around a young quarterback with a very team-friendly contract." 

If it's true that Darnold is considered a favorite to start over Lance in Week 1 this coming September, York ultimately may have to admit the 49ers simply got things wrong as it pertains to the moves they made roughly two years ago.