For all the offseason rumors and speculation, it appears Colin Kaepernick is staying put. The San Francisco 49ers will keep the quarterback on the roster for 2016, barring an enticing trade package, as reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
They will keep him… Unless they are blown away, of course https://t.co/OLf5XKNnpv
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 28, 2016
There was some surmising the 49ers might cut the struggling quarterback prior to the April 1 deadline, after which his 2016 salary becomes fully guaranteed. However, since Kaepernick is still recovering from November shoulder surgery, cutting him prior to that deadline would mean paying the full $11.9 million salary he is owed next season, as the NFL players’ union would surely argue.
In recent weeks, the 49ers have come out in support of Kaepernick. Head coach Chip Kelly shot down the notion that the team was considering cutting the signal caller in an interview with Sports Illustrated.
“Colin’s a mobile quarterback. You can use him in a lot of different ways that you don’t use a traditional NFL quarterback,” Kelly said. “You’re not going to use Colin the same way you use Tom Brady. He’s got a lot of skills. That’s why I’ve said, if he’s there on the fourth (of April), we’ll be excited. I’ve expressed that to him.
“Regardless of what’s gone on and what’s been said—there’s a business aspect to this—but there’s no point where I’m saying we have bad feelings toward him. I’ve had very good conversations with him and I’d be excited to work with him, and that’s what I’ve told him.”
Denver and Cleveland were both potential landing spots for Kaepernick heading into the offseason. But the Browns are out of the picture after signing Robert Griffin III and still reportedly interested in drafting a quarterback at No. 2 overall in next month’s draft.
The Broncos are still in the mix, but it seems the 49ers are seeking a much higher asking price than Denver is willing to match. However, Kaepernick has indicated he wants out of San Francisco, and it is unclear how much the recent support from the team has changed his tune. Kaepernick may not have much leverage with the team, but if he is unhappy that asking price could drop.
Kaepernick is only three years removed from nearly winning the Super Bowl and is still just 28 years old, so a turnaround is not out of the question. As long as he remains on the 49ers, Kaepernick and Kelly’s relationship will continue to be a major storyline heading into the next NFL season.
