How Colin Kaepernick Saga Affects 49ers Draft Plans

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick hasn’t been traded, and the team is gearing up for the 2016 NFL Draft. How does Kap remaining on the roster alter the Niners’ draft plans?

We’re just over a week away from the 2016 NFL Draft and, despite his trade request and a plethora of different rumours, Colin Kaepernick remains on the roster of the San Francisco 49ers and is likely to influence their plans in the 2016 NFL Draft as general manager Trent Baalke aims to give head coach Chip Kelly better resources to compete in his maiden season in charge.

With the Cleveland Browns out of the running, having signed Robert Griffin III and the New York Jets seemingly set on re-signing Ryan Fitzpatrick or potentially trading up in the draft, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, the Denver Broncos look to be the only team in the Kaepernick market.

Denver GM John Elway, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, met with Kaepernick this month, however, the Broncos — who have Mark Sanchez as their most senior quarterback on the roster — appear to have cooled interest in the San Francisco signal-caller.

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If the Broncos do not make another push for Kaepernick, then it seems likely he will be a 49er for at least one more season. Such an outcome would seem to be a positive one for Kelly who, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, has previously expressed his desire to “coach the heck” out of Kaepernick.

Despite having both Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert on the roster, the 49ers should still be looking to bring in another quarterback who can compete with that duo for the starting spot.

Indeed, after Kaepernick and Gabbert oversaw just five wins in 2015, it makes sense to draft another passer, whether that be in the first round or not.

The Los Angeles Rams’ trade up to the No. 1 spot could have taken the 49ers out of the market for Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, presuming Cleveland also takes a quarterback at No. 2. However, with Gabbert at least showing himself to be a capable starter and Kelly apparently keen to help resurrect Kapernick’s career, San Francisco may be more than willing to accept being in a position at No. 7 where they can take the best player available rather than reach for a quarterback.

Indeed, Baalke — per Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area — has spoken of a need to have fluidity in the draft and, with the dozen selections the 49ers have, San Francisco certainly has that:

"There’s no position that’s ruled out at seven. And whether we stay at seven, there’s a possibility we move up. There’s a possibility we move back. I think you’re going to have to have some fluidity to this draft, in terms of willingness to move in every round. When you’re at seven, there’s a likelihood that somebody could be calling to move up."

The 49ers have the ability to move up the board or move back and stockpile further picks, and Kelly’s faith in Kaepernick and the occasionally decent performances Gabbert put up last season mean any moves San Francisco makes do not necessarily have to be directed at getting a quarterback.

Neither Kaepernick nor Gabbert look like being the long-term answer under center, but Baalke may believe improving the rest of the team to be a bigger priority than finding a potential franchise quarterback, particularly if Kelly can convince him that the former’s career can be resurrected.

January 3, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) passes the football during the third quarter against the St. Louis Rams at Levi /

With so many other needs across on both sides of the ball there is a great deal of logic to wanting to focus on repairing the rest of the roster yet, with the capital they have at their disposal, there is the distinct possibility the 49ers can address the other holes on the team as well as the quarterback spot through trades.

San Francisco could draft a non-quarterback at No. 7 and then trade back into the first round, though that would likely require more picks than Baalke is willing to give up. The possibility of the 49ers trading out of the top 10 and then doing another deal to move back into the first to grab a quarterback is a more likely one, with Connor Cook and Paxton Lynch potential targets who may be available as late as the second.

Cook and Lynch don’t need to start right away but could at least put pressure on Kaepernick and Gabbert, as could the likes of Cardale Jones, Dak Prescott and Vernon Adams, who have the potential to develop into excellent dual-threat quarterbacks at the next level.

Yet San Francisco’s plans will likely change if they are able trade Kaepernick. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reported Tuesday that talks over a potential deal should intensify next week as the draft draws near.

If the 49ers can flip Kaepernick for Denver’s third-round pick, then they would have enough to get to the No. 4 spot — occupied by the Dallas Cowboys — by packaging their first-, own third- and the non-compensatory fourth-round selection, according to Drafttek’s trade value chart, and would still have a choice in every round even after such a deal.

That trade would only land Goff or Wentz if Cleveland passes on a quarterback but would still put San Francisco in a place to select a premier talent like Jalen Ramsey, Laremy Tunsil or DeForest Buckner depending on how the cards fall in the top three.

Kaepernick has been central to the 49ers’ fortunes in recent years, and the decision over his immediate future will have a great impact on San Francisco’s long-term destiny. If he leaves, then the Niners could have the capital to move up to a spot where they can at least get one of the elite players in the class if not one of the top quarterbacks.

However, if he is still on the team by the draft, then it is fair to assume the 49ers will either go best player available at No. 7 or work the board to stockpile more picks with an eye on Lynch, Cook or one of the later-round high-upside quarterbacks.

Either way, by the time the Rams are on the clock next Thursday, we should have a better idea of the direction the 49ers are going in.

Next: 2016 FanSided NFL Community Mock Draft: Niner Noise Selects OT Laremy Tunsil to 49ers

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless otherwise indicated.