5. Colin Kaepernick says goodbye to San Francisco, takes a stand
Touching on the 49ers, Kaepernick made the decision to opt out of his contract for 2017.
#49ers QB Colin Kaepernick's new agents, Jeff Nalley & Sean Kiernan, informed 32 teams yesterday that they rep him and he will be opting out
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 1, 2017
This follows recent news of a positive meeting Kap had with the 49ers’ new brass late in February. Kap’s departure leaves the team with zero quarterbacks on its roster currently.
As for Kap, he wants a fresh start, which seems easy enough. Or maybe not so much. The aforementioned Browns already reportedly indicated that they are not interested in 29-year-old former Super Bowl quarterback.
Kap will likely arrive to a new team with some heavy baggage. He received a benching back in 2015 for poor play. Since then, the former second-round pick has become a divisive off-field figure due to his protest of the National Anthem this past season.
The surprise here is that Kaepernick has suddenly done an about-face and plans to stand for the National Anthem in 2017. Coincidentally enough, following Kap’s change of heart, news broke that several teams said they would not pursue him if he continued to kneel during the Anthem. Go figure.
Kaepernick’s adventure into free agency should continue to flood NFL headlines for several weeks to come.