As it turns out, Colin Kaepernick's days in San Francisco might not be coming to an end after all. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the 49ers and Kaepernick met last week about the quarterback returning in 2016. That's a stark contrast to reports last month that said the 49ers are planning on shopping Kaepernick this offseason.
Colin Kaepernick could stay with the 49ers next season
Kaepernick and the team reportedly met last week about him returning to San Francisco in 2016.
Kaepernick was placed on the injured reserve list on Nov. 21 because of a torn labrum in his left shoulder. It was a curious move at the time, considering Kaepernick had gone through a full week of practice before the designation. The move supposedly came at Kaepernick's request when he told the 49ers he wanted to have surgery on the shoulder after seeking a second opinion during the team's bye week. He is believed to have first suffered the injury during a game against the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 4.
Kaepernick only completed 57 percent of his passes in the four contests he started after the Green Bay game. The 49ers decided to bench Kaepernick Nov. 4 and have gone 1-2 with Blaine Gabbert at the helm. Under Kaepernick, who posted a career-low 78.5 quarterback rating this season, they went 2-6.
It’s been a tumultuous season for the 3-8 49ers, who shook up their front office in a big way this week. The club demoted team president Paraag Marathe to a lesser role within the organization, perhaps because owner Jed York believes he’s responsible for many of the anti-Kaepernick whispers that have leaked out of San Francisco over the last several months. The Mercury News’ Tim Kawakami reports Marathe, who was once York’s right-hand man, has been identified as the mole.
If Marathe was demoted partially because of the Kaepernick leaks, that’s a sign the organization might not be ready to give up on their once-franchise quarterback. The 49ers signed Kaepernick to a six-year, $114 million contract in 2014, though he doesn’t have any guaranteed money remaining on the deal. Kaepernick’s $11.9 million salary for 2016 becomes guaranteed if he’s healthy by April 1.
A couple of weeks ago, it seemed as if it was almost a foregone conclusion Kaepernick would be another team’s roster by April 1. But given these most recent reports, that may no longer be the case.
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