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Why 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick Is Opting Out of His Contract

By Peter Panacy

Nov 20, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) before the game against the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 20, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) before the game against the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is going to opt out of his current contract and test the free-agent market, per a report. With $14.5 million guaranteed in 2017, why would Kap do this? Niner Noise answers why.

On Friday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported quarterback Colin Kaepernick would opt out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers this offseason and become a free agent.

This isn’t the first time fans have heard rumors about this sort of thing, but the latest report suggests it’s more reality than anything else. But when looking at the grand scheme of things, one might wonder why Kaepernick would take this route.

For starters, the 49ers owe Kap $14.5 million in guaranteed money in 2017. He won’t come close to commanding anything like that on the open market, even if there are quarterback-needy teams out there.

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers /

San Francisco 49ers

Even if Kaepernick was a good-or-better option under center, Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman pointed out why the embattled signal-caller might easily be on most NFL front offices’ no-go lists for the quarterback’s national anthem protest.

In short, the 49ers might be the only home for Kaepernick and the only place where he’d command that kind of money.

Why turn that down?

Why Colin Kaepernick Wants Out

Kap’s relationship with the 49ers front office would presumably improve now that Trent Baalke is no longer general manager.

As for the future?

We have little clue what San Francisco’s new regime — general manager John Lynch and likely head coach Kyle Shanahan — will want at the position. But it seems more than likely they’ll want to change things up.

That means adding another quarterback, or two, via the NFL Draft or free agency. Kaepernick could still be an option. But the 49ers aren’t going to want to dish him the $14.5 million guaranteed anyway.

Cutting him would save San Francisco $16.9 million in cap space. Even though the Niners aren’t pressed for cap room, this is money that could be well spent to address other pressing areas of need.

So for Kaepernick, this pending move is one to “save face” above anything else.

More from Niner Noise

To draw a parallel, one only needs to look so far as Seattle Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable dropping out of the team’s head coach search when it became apparent Shanahan was going to be the guy.

Sure, the scenario is slightly different. But Cable didn’t want to have the stigma of not being selected as the guy.

And Kap doesn’t want to be associated with a quarterback who was outright cut.

Next: Predicting the 49ers Best Moves in Free Agency

San Francisco could still bring Kaepernick back, likely on a less-expensive deal, but even that seems unlikely at best.