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Five potential landing spots for Colin Kaepernick

Colin Kaepernick

Plenty has been written and said about Colin Kaepernick since his decision to sit during the national anthem became public.

The political nature of it has been examined, as has his timing and the venue where he chose to stage his protest.

The stance has been talked about so much that we’ve almost forgotten something about Kaepernick.

He’s a football player with a very uncertain future.

While Chip Kelly has yet to name a starter for the regular season, the fact that Blaine Gabbert is sitting the preseason finale serves as a clue. Kaepernick’s relationship with the San Francisco 49ers has long been broken since well before he sat through the national anthem (more on that here).

With that , it’s very possible that, if he wants to stay in the NFL, he’ll be a looking for a new team shortly.

Who should that team be? Focusing purely on his fit as a quarterback, what teams represent the five-best potential destinations for Colin Kaepernick?

1. Minnesota Vikings

Aug 12, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) warms up prior to the game against the Cincinnati Bengals, in a preseason NFL football game at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Shaun Hill is a nice quarterback to have. If the starting quarterback goes down, he can step in for a game or two and help keep the ship afloat. But when the conversation goes from that to being a full-time starter on a Super Bowl contender, Hill doesn’t look so good.

The Vikings — who have Super Bowl aspirations — will be without Teddy Bridgewater for all of 2016 and possibly longer. His injury was just that bad.

Kaepernick is a quarterback who’s been to a Super Bowl with a team very similar to the one that Minnesota currently has.

Like the 2012 49ers, the Vikings have an average passing game, a strong run game and an elite defense. The quarterback doesn’t need to be a consistent playmaker for this team to win. Rather, he needs to stay out of trouble and make a few big plays when called upon.

Now, Kaepernick’s skills may not be as good as they were in 2012.

Still, imagine being Mike Zimmer and needing your quarterback to come through with a big play to win a game. Would you really take Hill over Kaepernick?

2. Dallas Cowboys

Make no mistake, Dak Prescott has been superb during the preseason.

But at the risk of being a Debbie Downer, it needs to be stated clearly that this is just the preseason. It wouldn’t exactly be unprecedented for a player to star in the preseason, only to fall flat when the games count. Should that happen to Prescott, the Cowboys need to be prepared.

A season ago, Dallas was not prepared. Tony Romo went down early and America’s Team was left with Matt Cassel, Brandon Weeden and Kellen Moore to combine for 12 starts. Unsurprisingly, that trio managed only one combined win.

With Romo out for the next 8-10 weeks, if not longer, where do the Cowboys turn should Prescott prove to be ineffective or gets hurt?

Dallas doesn’t need to add Kaepernick as a starter, but it must be ready if Prescott needs to be replaced. From that angle, Kaepernick would serve as a good insurance policy.

3. Chicago Bears

The Chicago offense already features plenty of questions. What in the world happens if Jay Cutler gets hurt?

At the moment, Brian Hoyer would step in as the quarterback. If you’re a Bears fan and that doesn’t inspire you, don’t worry. It shouldn’t.

Kaepernick’s play over his last two seasons may not be especially inspiring either. We still can’t forget that he’s a few months shy of his 29th birthday. Hoyer is two years older and has never had anywhere near the success that Kaepernick has enjoyed.

Adding Kaepernick would not only go a long way in solidifying the backup position, but could also create a sense of competition for Cutler. That’s something that he hasn’t had in a while. One never knows how inspired Cutler would be if a quarterback with Kaepernick’s credentials was pushing him.

4. Buffalo Bills

Courtesy of USA Today Sports

Buffalo stands in similar position to Chicago right now. Tyrod Taylor is definitely the starter and should be. Despite that, he needs a little more push from behind than he’s getting.

Even if he never gets into a game, that push is something that Kaepernick can provide.

If Kaepernick does need to get into a game, the offense shouldn’t have much of a transition. While Taylor and Kaepernick have differences, they have similarities, too. Each quarterback is a threat with his arms and legs.

Having an experienced backup that can come in and play with a similar style to the starter is a big asset in the NFL. Having an experienced backup that can push a young starter is also important.

In E.J. Manuel, Buffalo has a backup with a similar style to Taylor, but one without any NFL success to speak of. Kaepernick has the stylistic similarities and far more success.

Lastly, when Rex Ryan had Tim Tebow in 2012, he seemed intent on trying to implement Tebow as something of a Wildcat quarterback. It didn’t work out especially well.

With that said, Kaepernick is a bit different than Tebow in that he has performed at a higher level as a passing option. And unlike Taylor, Kaepernick is a big guy that can cover a lot of ground in short-yardage situations.

5. Miami Dolphins

A big part of being a backup quarterback is standing on the sidelines wearing your team’s hat. When it comes to the Dolphins, Kaepernick has already shown he’s willing to do that.

In all seriousness, Miami’s situation is similar to what’s going on in Buffalo, only it’s been happening for a few more years.

Ryan Tannehill came into the league in 2012. Since he’s been there, Matt Moore has been his backup. That’s led to a 29-35 record over four seasons without a single playoff appearance. Maybe something needs to change.

It may be a little too early to give up on Tannehill, but Kaepernick’s presence would push him in a way Moore’s never has. Additionally, like Kaepernick, Tannehill is a quarterback that can run as well as throw.

If Kaepernick had to step in with the first-team offense, his style wouldn’t throw anyone off kilter.

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