The future of Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers is very much up in the air, but it appears he has some leverage from a pure football perspective right now.
Speaking on NFL Network on Monday, Mike Garofolo reported a person within the organization told him Kaepernick is currently viewed as the second-best quarterback on the roster at this time.
Garofolo also mentioned the final preseason game Thursday against the San Diego Chargers could be huge for the embattled quarterback. Both rookie Jeff Driskel and veteran Christian Ponder will be doing their best to convince the 49ers that they should be considered for that No. 2 spot, rather than Kaepernick.
Another aspect that will have an impact on whether Kaepernick remains on the roster is the fact that he’s got $25 million in injury guarantees the next couple of years. What this means is that, should he get injured and remain injured next offseason, like he was this year, the 49ers will be on the hook for his 2017 salary of $14.5 million.
Garofolo suggested that this dynamic could bring into play a scenario in which the 49ers treat Kaepernick like Washington treated Robert Griffin III in 2015 — give him the “bubble wrap” treatment, so to speak, to keep him healthy.
This report seems to contradict something Jay Glazer of Fox Sports said on Sunday, which indicated Kaepernick is a long shot to make the roster (more on that here).
Of course, all this speculation and rumor is being highlighted by the ever-present matter of Kaepernick’s national anthem protest. Misunderstood by many for his choice to sit during the anthem, he spent nearly 20 minutes speaking to media after making his case to his 49ers teammates on Sunday (watch here).
It’s going to be fascinating to see what happens next. Should Kaepernick remain on the roster, his political protest will continue to be a big part of whatever happens with the 49ers this year. Should he be cut, it will likely be perceived by many that it somehow had to do with said protest.
Things are not cut and dry in this situation. A strong performance by the quarterback on Thursday could make a messy situation even more complex.