Despite months of trade rumors, Colin Kaepernick will play for the San Francisco 49ers in 2016, team general manager Trent Baalke said during the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft on Thursday. This seems like the end of a long and drawn-out trade saga that linked the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets and Denver Broncos to the 28-year-old quarterback.
Colin Kaepernick trade saga comes to a close with Broncos drafting Paxton Lynch
After numerous reports connected him to the Broncos, the 49ers quarterback will likely stick around and play under Chip Kelly.
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
When the Denver Broncos drafted quarterback Paxton Lynch, it all but confirmed that Kaepernick would stay put. Baalke confirmed that the 49ers are moving forward with the guys currently on the roster and called Kaepernick a “big part of it.”
“We’re probably over with Kaepernick,” Broncos GM John Elway said Thursday night.
The Broncos were the last team remaining in the Kaepernick discussion after the Browns and Jets quickly dropped out. They were reportedly trying to get Kaepernick to agree to a pay cut, but one never materialized. The Broncos filled their quarterback need this offseason by trading for Mark Sanchez and then trading up in the first round to draft Lynch.
Kaepernick, who signed an extension with the 49ers in 2014, is sitting on a guaranteed contract worth $11.9 million for 2016. But he also reportedly wanted to earn that money elsewhere after getting benched last season.
Kaepernick is getting paid big money, and he still has a multi-year deal that he can play on if he regains the starting job. However, new head coach Chip Kelly and Trent Baalke have maintained that Kaepernick will have to compete with Blaine Gabbert, the man he was benched for last season.
Yet, there's still reason for hope for Kaepernick. His skills could make him a great fit for Kelly's offense. Right before the draft, there was talk that Kaepernick "digs" his new head coach. The 49ers also traded back up in the first round to select guard Joshua Garnett, who could help bolster an offensive line that gave up 53 sacks last season., second-most in the NFL.
On the other hand, there is also the possibility that the 49ers land a potential starting quarterback in the NFL Draft. Connor Cook is still available, as are Christian Hackenberg, Cardale Jones and Dak Prescott. But the way it looks now, if the 49ers did draft a quarterback, he’d have to compete with Kaepernick.
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