Every year, without fail, the NFL preseason brings forward some conclusions that can be described as overreactions, at best. However, amidst all the hype, a few fan-drawn ideas prove to be accurate representations of trends for the rest of the season. Three years since he got drafted, Trey Lance has to be hoping that his performance in the first game of the preseason can be of the latter kind.
Taking on the QB1 role for the NFL Hall of Fame Game of 2025 between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Detroit Lions, Lance has been a revelation throughout the game. After not showing many indications of a starting-caliber quarterback through stints with the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys, his performance has been a complete 180, leading fans to have some extremely high opinions immediately.
Has Los Angeles Chargers QB Trey Lance Officially Arrived?
A spectacular 2019 campaign at North Dakota State led the 49ers to invest heavily in Lance as a prospect. As a result, they traded away three first-round picks to the Miami Dolphins and an additional third-round pick to get their guy.
However, things didn’t work out for Kyle Shanahan and Co. on the Lance front. Thanks to the ascension of Brock Purdy, the franchise was able to walk away relatively unscathed. But the damage to the rest of the roster building was already done.
Two years into his tenure, San Francisco was ready to move on, leading to a trade with the Cowboys in exchange for a fourth-round pick. Spending almost two seasons in Dallas, Lance once again failed to make a major impact on proceedings.
As a result, he was slotted into a backup role for the Chargers, who picked him up on a paltry one-year deal. However, his performance in the first preseason game has already given folks plenty of reason to pause. Through three quarters, he has 120 passing yards and two touchdowns, while completing 65% of his passes.
PFSN compiled some stats from the first half that included a 75% completion rate, two touchdowns, and a passer rating of 137.5. Their final word? “Jim Harbaugh cooked.”
Trey Lance in the first half:
75% completion rate
2 touchdowns
137.5 passer ratingJim Harbaugh cooked https://t.co/jkrat6E1bi
— PFSN (@PFSN365) August 1, 2025
However, they weren’t the only ones with that opinion. Thanks to his incredible performance, which included throws from the pocket as well as while scrambling, one fan even believed, “harbaugh turned trey lance into josh allen.”
Another fan saw Lance’s performance as an easy opportunity to take a shot at two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, after he had another rough showing in the playoffs, leading to the Baltimore Ravens being eliminated by the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round last year.
He wrote, “Preseason Trey Lance already better then Playoff Lamar Jackson,” with a Ja Morant giggling GIF accompanying his message.
But another fan made it clear what the reason for Lance’s turnaround was. “You can literally see the confidence bar in Trey Lance start to rise. The cure to the quarterback problem is literally to just believe in them.”
You can literally see the confidence bar in Trey Lance start to rise. The cure to the quarterback problem is literally to just believe in them. pic.twitter.com/tc53yDW5eZ
— Evan Sowards (@EvanSowards) August 1, 2025
Some fans were spellbound by Lance’s performance, even going so far as to compare him to the best quarterback in the sport, Patrick Mahomes. However, for others, it was an easy chance to start planning fantasy scenarios.
Live look at Trey Lance tonight pic.twitter.com/TRCll1b1ei
— John Frascella (Football) (@NFLFrascella) August 1, 2025
With the New Orleans Saints in a desperate quarterback situation following Derek Carr’s shocking retirement, one fan wrote, “Trey Lance to the Saints makes too much sense right now…”
Trey Lance to the Saints makes too much sense right now…
— TheBLeagueSays (@TheBLeagueSays) August 1, 2025
With Tyler Shough as the only real option on the roster, the Saints could be tempted to give Lance a run and see if they could find their franchise quarterback from a surprising location.
For others, though, this was an easy opportunity to invoke the last time Harbaugh was a head coach in the NFL. Joining the 49ers, he turned the franchise around in a season. However, in Year 2, he opted to go with a relatively unproven Colin Kaepernick as the starting quarterback over Alex Smith.
Herbert injury, Trey Lance balls out… I’ve seen this movie before pic.twitter.com/pYB1hGA2Pp
— Chencho (@GasBreakDip) August 1, 2025
One fan wrote, “Herbert injury, Trey Lance balls out… I’ve seen this movie before,” accompanied by a GIF of a celebratory Kaepernick on the field. The messaging was crystal clear. But the reality of that assumption remains to be seen.
It’s unlikely that Lance wins the starting job over Herbert. But his performance against Detroit might have given those ready to write his career obituary some pause. It remains to be seen if he ever becomes a legitimate starter in the NFL.
But as Sam Darnold proved last year, the league can be an unexpected place. Perhaps, Lance could be in for a similar turnaround sooner rather than later.
