Super Bowl quarterback Colin Kaepernick last appeared in an NFL game as a member of the San Francisco 49ers back on January 1, 2017. The embattled former signal caller completed 17-of-22 passes for 215 yards with one touchdown in a 25-23 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Fast forward more than a half-decade, and Kaepernick remains out of the NFL after he started the now-famous national anthem protests during the summer of 2016.
By now, it’s well known what has happened with Kaepernick since he last suited up in an NFL game. That included the former second-round pick settling out of court after suing the league and its teams for collusion.
Having just recently published a video of himself looking pretty good in throwing passes to Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett, Kaepernick’s career could be headed in a shocking direction.
Speaking to the media after the trade of star quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos became official on Wednesday, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll indicated that Colin Kaepernick deserves another shot in the NFL. While Carroll stopped short of saying it would be with the Seahawks, this is a rather interesting development.
“Does that guy deserve a second shot? I think he does,” Carroll said about Kaepernick.
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Does Colin Kaepernick make sense for the Seattle Seahawks?
More than five years since taking his last NFL stap, we have absolutely no idea if Kaepernick is prepared to return to the gridiron. What we do know is that he’s looked good as the former 49ers star maintains his training in hopes of returning to the league. Carroll also noted on Wednesday that Kaepernick just reached out to him recently.
Following the Wilson trade, Seattle boasts Drew Lock as its presumed Week 1 starter. He was acquired in the aforementioned blockbuster deal. Short of the Seahawks pulling off a trade for someone like Baker Mayfield, bringing in Kaepernick as competition actually makes sense from an on-field standpoint.
- Drew Lock stats (career): 59% completion, 4,740 passing yards, 285 rushing yards, 30 TD, 20 INT, 79.3 rating
- Colin Kaepernick stats (career): 60% completion, 12,271 passing yards, 2,300 rushing yards, 85 TD, 30 INT, 88.9 rating
In Kaepernick’s final season with the 49ers back in 2016, the Nevada product tallied 18 total touchdowns compared to four interceptions despite playing for one of the most talent-stricken teams in the NFL. On the field, he’s a legitimate option.
Of course, there’s a whole heck of a lot more to look at here. Regardless of our opinions surrounding the Kaepernick-led protests, he is seen as a divisive figure around the United States.
The interesting dynamic here is that the Seattle area would likely be among the regions to accept Kaepernick and whatever off-field “drama” he might bring to the table.
It would also change the PR dynamics for a Seahawks organization that is reeling following a disappointing 2021 season and the trade of their franchise quarterbacks.
Wouldn’t it be something if Colin Kaepernick returned to the NFL as a member of the team he last suited up against? The storylines would be epic, including him going up against the very same squad that made the quarterback a second-round pick all the way back in 2011 — one year before Wilson joined Seattle.