By Jordan Long
Quarterback Colin Kaepernick could be in the NFL this upcoming season. He hasn’t played a down in the NFL since 2016 when he was with the San Francisco 49ers. NFL commissioner Rodger Goodell wants a team to take a chance. According to nbcnewyork.com, Goodell said, “If he wants to resume his career in the NFL, that obviously is going to take a team to make that decision, but I welcome that, support a club making that decision and encourage them to do that.”
Kaepernick might be interested in playing again. He may improve the quarterback position for a team as a backup player. Kaepernick isn’t going to be a starter, at least not yet. He will need to show that he is in football shape and can still play at a high level. CBSsports.com listed 8 teams who may be in the market for him including the Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans, and Kansas City Chiefs.
Baltimore wouldn’t make sense as a landing spot. They have one of the top young quarterbacks in the league in Lamar Jackson. He can throw the football but also has the speed to run to avoid being sacked and tackled. Jackson is entering his 3rd year in the league and his play is only going to improve. Their backup is Robert Griffin III. He is the same type of quarterback Jackson is and is better than Kaepernick at this point because he has been on an NFL roster. They are set at the position.
If Baltimore takes a chance on Kaepernick, they would have to hope he could beat out Griffin. It doesn’t seem likely he has the ability. It would be a wasted contract.
The Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers are both landing spots for him to be a starter. Jacksonville has Gardner Minshew as the #1 quarterback on the depth chart. Minshew is entering his 2nd year and last season he played in 12 games going 6-6. He passed for 3,271 yards and 21 touchdowns and an impressively low 6 interceptions. It looks like he will be the starter again this season.
Bringing in Kaepernick gives Minshew competition during training camp and preseason games, assuming they are still going to happen. If Minshew struggles, Kaepernick can earn the starting position.
The Los Angeles Chargers make the most sense for Kaepernick to be the #1 quarterback on the depth chart. It is an open competition since their starter for the previous 14 years, Philip Rivers signed with the Indianapolis Colts in the offseason. Right now, the veteran quarterback on the current roster is Tyrod Taylor. The backups are Easton Stick who is entering his 2nd year and rookie Justin Herbert.
The Chargers would expect Kaepernick to try and beat out Taylor for the starting role. If he can’t, he could be the backup. Kaepernick has the experience to beat out Stick and Herbert. Herbert is the future of the Chargers since he was taken 6th overall in this years’ NFL draft.
The Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs could be landing spots for Kaepernick as the backup role. The Texans’ starter is Deshaun Watson who can pass the ball in the pocket or run for first downs. After Watson, the Texans backup is AJ McCarron. He is not the same type of player Watson is. He is more of a pocket passer and isn’t a runner. If McCarron has to be in the game because Watson is hurt, the Texans use different play calls because he is not a mobile quarterback. That wouldn’t be true with Kaepernick. They could use the same style offense with him as with Watson
Kansas City should be the franchise calling Kaepernick. Head Coach Andy Reid runs the read option with quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes has the option to pass the football or run it. They also run the bootleg. Doing this allows Mahomes to throw the ball downfield to the open receiver or tuck the ball and run. Kaepernick knows these type of play calls and it wouldn’t take him long to understand the offense. Kansas City wouldn’t have to change their offense to fit Kaepernick.
Teams should take a chance on Kaepernick. Kaepernick deserves the opportunity to show he can still play in the NFL.
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