San Francisco 49ers: Colin Kaepernick Requests Trade

After a couple days at the National Football League scouting combine of positive words from the San Francisco 49ers regarding quarterback Colin Kaepernick, Kaepernick did a WWE heel turn.

Of course, the 49ers do not have to grant the permission or agree to trade Kaepernick to a preferred destination even if they allow talks.

Both the NFL Network and ESPN reported tonight that Kaepernick’s agents have requested permission from the 49ers to seek a trade partner. His future in San Francisco seemed uncertain, but with the hiring of Chip Kelly as coach, Kaepernick’s style would seem a good fit. While some were quick to assume that new San Francisco head coach Chip Kelly would work to resurrect Kaepernick’s career, all would do well to remember that the 28-year-old QB has not enjoyed the best of times out west as of late. If that does happen, the focus shifts to 2018 wherein $5.2 million of his $15 million base salary becomes guaranteed.

That injury resulted in surgery, but it was not performed by the 49ers’ medical staff, nor were those on his thumb and knee last month.

He was benched midway though the season after he threw six touchdowns and five interceptions in eight starts.

His praise of Kaepernick on Thursday contrasted with the lukewarm endorsement he gave at his introductory news conference, when Kelly also praised the job done by Blaine Gabbert. This way, the Niners could protect themselves from the possibility of Kaepernick regressing as a player or becoming severely injured, while at the same time locking down a potential franchise quarterback for the long term, granted that Kaepernick continued to improve.

“… Baalke isn’t really saying that the 49ers have decided 100% that they’re bringing Kaepernick back and happy to guarantee his $11.9M salary once he remains on the roster on April 1″.

“He wants to be here”, Kelly told reporters.

Kelly doesn’t see that though, but rather a guy who wants to remain with the team that drafted him.

“I’m really excited to get working with Carlos” Kelly said. “So I’m excited for that and just want to get back there and train the house down and obviously impress the coaches”.

A handful of destinations could make sense as possible landing spots for Kaepernick.

The current cap hit for Kaepernick is about $7.4 million with the 49ers, but that would jump to just about $15.9 million if he is still on the roster in April.

Neither of Kaepernick nor Gabbert is a legitimate option at quarterback going forward and it would be wise of the 49ers to pick one up in the first round of the draft. A report earlier in February said he was interested in joining the New York Jets, and that there was mutual interest, though it was unclear how the two sides would orchestrate a deal. I heard rumors about the Browns wanting Kaepernick and my first thought was…

Second, teams in desperate need of a quarterback are also finding it hard to suppress their glee.

If there is a wrong turn or false move to make, if there is a public-relations tumble to take, somebody in a 49ers leadership position will do it.