Lance undergoes second ankle surgery, expected to return for OTAs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Quarterback Trey Lance underwent surgery Friday to remove hardware from his right ankle that was inserted during the initial surgery in September, the 49ers announced.
Lance is expected to make a full recovery and return for organized team activities.
Because of the location of the fracture that Lance sustained in a Week 2 game against Seattle, the hardware placement was close to a tendon in Lance’s ankle.
During his rehabilitation, the close proximity of the tendon proved to cause irritation in his ankle, the team said.
After consulting with multiple specialists, the decision was made to have the hardware removed to prevent future issues in the ankle.
Lance, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, entered the season as the 49ers’ starting quarterback. He completed 15 of 31 pass attempts for 194 yards, no touchdowns and one interception before suffering the injury in Week 2.
Jimmy Garoppolo took over at quarterback for 10 games before a broken foot sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Now, the 49ers’ season with championship aspirations is in the hands of rookie Brock Purdy, the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.
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There’s plenty to speculate about the 49ers’ future at quarterback. It definitely will be a hot topic this offseason, especially if Purdy continues to play well. But for now, the 49ers are hoping Lance fully heals and Purdy properly utilizes his versatile offensive weapons in a deep postseason run.
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