Some time between now and the middle of next month, a decision will have to be made on Colin Kaepernick’s future with the San Francisco 49ers.
Kaepernick restructured his contract with the team this past season in a move that enabled him to see the field. It also gave both the 49ers and their much-maligned quarterback an out.
After initial reports surfaced that Kaepernick would indeed opt out of his contract, suggestions are that he might be open to a return. That came following San Francisco’s decision to hire former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who is seen as a quarterback whisperer around the NFL.
Now comes this report from CSN Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco indicating that Kaepernick has indeed visited the 49ers’ Â headquarters, presumably to meet with Shanahan and new general manager John Lynch.
“Quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who faces an uncertain future with the 49ers, visited team headquarters in Santa Clara on Wednesday morning, according to a league source,” Maiocco reported on Wednesday. “Kaepernick was likely there to meet with 49ers general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan for the first time since they were hired to replace Trent Baalke and Chip Kelly.”
This shoudn’t come as too much of a surprise. Shanahan has already reportedly spoken to Kaepernick on the phone and a meeting had been planned. This is said meeting.
Kaepernick, 29, is set to count $19.4 million against the cap in 2017. It’s a sum of money the 49ers are unlikely to pay him. But this doesn’t mean something can’t be worked out behind the scenes.
All the while, San Francisco continues to be linked to potential quarterbacks on the market, including Washington Redskins Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins (more on that here).
It remains to be seen what this meeting might do, but at least the lines of communication are open here.
Kaepernick is coming off a 2016 campaign that saw him put up 18 total touchdowns compared to just four interceptions in 11 starts. If he doesn’t return to the 49ers, there promises to be interest in his services on the free-agent market.