While no official deal has been signed, Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers have reportedly agreed on a restructured contract.
“49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick agreed to restructure his contract last week,” a report from Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole said. “The change would make it easier for him to play going forward this season. The deal is not yet finalized, but it would void the final four years of his contract and get rid of any injury guarantees for the team. This would allow Kaepernick to be a free agent in 2017.”
Chip Kelly had previously said that Kapernick’s contract was not being considered but quite frankly, that’s not realistic. The 49ers want to be in a position where they can get rid of Kaepernick’s contract at the end of the 2016 season.
Under the previous agreement, if he had played and gotten hurt, the 2017 option could automatically vest.
It will certainly be important for Kaepernick to take advantage of the playing time he receives. While Kaepernick has certainly been the center of attention for much of the 2016 season, his play hasn’t been talked about in an especially positive way for roughly two years.
Assuming Kaepernick does indeed play, the remainder of the 2016 season could well be his last chance to prove himself as an NFL-caliber quarterback.