Colin Kaepernick: 3 Things 49ers QB Must Do to Return to the Postseason

With the 2016 NFL season around the corner, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick finds himself in a heated battle to win back his starting job from QB Blaine Gabbert. He must make the necessary changes needed to lead this team or he may find himself on the outside looking in once again.

With training camp underway and the 2016 NFL season approaching fast there are still a lot of unanswered questions for the San Francisco 49ers.

One of the most important being, who will provide that fearless leadership that this team so desperately needs?

Fans have seen flashes of brilliance from quarterback Colin Kaepernick, but they’ve also seen a side of him that has been less than subpar. If he is to reclaim his throne as rightful heir for the franchise that drafted him only five short years ago, then he needs to step up and work out the kinks in his game.

First, he must win back his starting job that he lost last year to 49ers backup QB Blaine Gabbert then he can focus on making the playoffs and returning to stardom.

Here are three things that he needs to consider to reclaim his greatness and return to the postseason.

Get past the big contract

After a trip to Super Bowl XLVII, two consecutive NFC Championship appearances and a 17-6 record compiled as a starter, Kaepernick signed a monster six-year deal worth $114 million.

Though it was a team-friendly contract, it’s still a ton of cash if he performs well at his position. Too bad for him, since he signed the contract, his performances haven’t been outstanding.

This is more common than fans think. A professional athlete storms into the league, or signs a one-year deal with a new team, has a breakout season and teams are lining up to sign him when his contract expires.

Once a player signs with his team, his offseason is followed by lots of chatter and high hopes. But at the beginning of a new journey, he just can’t seem to perfect the position. It’s the classic hangover effect of the cloud-nine feeling one receives upon signing on that dotted line.

Football can be a serious game filled with injuries and high expectations, but when you play at a carefree level, the sport can appear effortless. Once you receive the big money, there are a lot of expectations and it can complicate the sport.

It happened to quarterback Matt Flynn when he signed with the Seattle Seahawks, and quarterback Matt Cassel when he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Cassel was less effective, showing a drop in statistics and wins, and Flynn lost his probable starting job to signal-caller Russell Wilson in the preseason.

When you take away that feeling of hunger and you replace it with the expectation to perform, it takes away the comfort of the game, no matter how long you’ve played your position.

Get back to basics

Kap came into the league with great open-field running ability and a cannon for an arm. He’s a dual threat, there’s no doubt about it. But in his four years at the professional level, he has stated his claim as a mobile QB.

It’s the same principal as being typecast as an actor in a specific genre when you’re new to the business. Once people see you as that actor or, in this case that quarterback, those same people have a hard time seeing you as someone different.

Kaepernick has poise and composure in the pocket when he has an offensive line performing at an acceptable level, but his go-to weapons are his own two legs. The crowd at Levi’s Stadium wants to see him break away and take control of the game with his elusive speed. He needs to mix it up with passing plays to keep the defense honest, but at least two or three times a possession, he needs to take off and make the defense earn its money.

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When he runs, the crowd gets involved. And when the crowd gets involved, the San Francisco 49ers have a momentum that is uncatchable.

If the play is dead, let it die

Kaepernick is a playmaker. At times he runs around the field making it seem as though the other team is playing at a much lower level.

However, when the play should be over, he tends to take a small gain and turn it into a huge loss. Kaepernick scrambles back toward the other end zone and gets sacked, or he steps ahead of the offensive line and gets crushed by the imposing pass rush. His biggest strength sometimes proves to be his biggest weakness.

Playmakers have a hard time letting the play die because they want so badly to move the chains for their team. They are also the first ones to take the heat if the team suffers a critical loss.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be the difference-maker, but when the play is lost, he must throw the ball away and turn his attention to the following play.

Learning to let the play go and living to fight another day comes in time. Although Kaepernick is young and seems to have nothing but time, he must turn his game around this year or he may find himself on the bench a lot for the upcoming season.

The good thing for him is that he controls his own fate.

Football is a game for competitors. Kaepernick is indeed a competitor. He knows how to win, and he knows how to lead a team. However, in order to lead, he must first conquer his shortcomings and win back his starting job. Once he is there, the sky’s the limit.

Next: Early Takeaways from 49ers 2016 Training Camp

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