49ers Quarterback Switch: Colin Kaepernick Starting Is another Strike against GM Trent Baalke

The San Francisco 49ers are making a change under center, and head coach Chip Kelly is rolling with quarterback Colin Kaepernick in Week 6. Already on the hot seat, general manager Trent Baalke takes another one on the cheek with this depth-chart move.

Colin Kaepernick is your new starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.

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Kap will take the field in a starting role for the first time this season, as the Niners travel to take on the Buffalo Bills in Week 6. Switching to Kap from scuffling former starter Blaine Gabbert was a change head coach Chip Kelly needed to make.

Just take a look at what NFL Films senior editor Greg Cosell had to write about the move.

But there’s more to it than just film. Starting Kaepernick is yet one more strike against 49ers general manager Trent Baalke.

Baalke is on the hot seat this season. And if you don’t believe it, just check out what Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee had to say in one of his latest live chats.

The 1-4 Niners have shown few reasons to suggest changes between 2014 and now are working. San Francisco already axed former head coach Jim Tomsula a year ago, and doing so again with Kelly is probably the last thing this franchise wants to do at this point.

So that leaves Baalke.

To what degree he’s responsible for the state of things can be debated. But he does bear responsibility. A lot of it. This is his roster — a roster at, or near the bottom of, a large number of NFL stat categories on both sides of the ball.

Kaepernick is on that roster too. But it’s hard to think Baalke wants it that way.

Baalke versus Kaepernick

One might recall the discussion between Baalke and Kap earlier this offseason. The 49ers GM called it a “good conversation,” whereas Kaepernick merely called it a “conversation.”

To say there’s no rift there is naive. One exists. It’s just to what extent.

Baalke has never been a Kaepernick guy. Take it for what it is, but Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole reported last month Baalke and Kelly were at odds over how Kap should be handled.

True, Kelly has stated on multiple occasions how Baalke isn’t directing who starts and who doesn’t. And contracts, with all those injury concerns, aren’t an issue either.

Yet it’s pretty obvious Baalke would rather have a scenario in which Kaepernick is not starting and/or contributing instead of what Kelly is electing to do in Week 6.

Kelly Flexing His Muscle

Who knows how CEO Jed York will handle things in coming years. But if we take his comments about Kelly being in Santa Clara for a “long time” as fact, it’s safe to assume the head coach isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Kelly knows this. And while he’s said all the right things about players on the roster in recent months — what else would you expect him to say? — Kelly is, essentially, coaching a talent-strapped team.

So why not make some changes to the depth chart?

Take a look at what Steve Berman of Bay Area Sports Guy posted after Kelly’s Tuesday press conference. First the tweet, then the breakdown:

"After a moment or two to reflect, not so subtle! In fact, that was Kelly launching a hook shot from the media tent toward Baalke’s office. No surprise, Kelly is left to scramble at 1-4 and might have the worst offensive skill position talent in the league — no way he’s going to go down with this ship when he senses a time when Jed York’s First Mate is so vulnerable."

Precisely.

Kelly gets his way by starting Kaepernick because, well, he simply can do so. In a results-driven league, Baalke’s efforts have been nothing short of ineffective.

And with no clear answers in sight, at least on the roster, Kelly doesn’t have to mince his words or actions any longer. Not with a 1-4 record.

What Now?

Berman already argued why Baalke should be dismissed now, as any time between Week 6 and the end of the regular season is time wasted with a “lame duck” GM.

Perhaps the 49ers dismiss Baalke from his duties and promote assistant general manager Tom Gamble between now and Week 17, but such a scenario doesn’t seem as likely. It would be more of a public-relations stunt to appease the fan base more than anything else.

Still, Berman is right about Baalke losing even more power this season, especially after Kelly made the switch under center.

Kaepernick doesn’t even have to be successful for Kelly to prove his point. Essentially, all Kelly is saying is, “What you’ve given me on this roster isn’t good, so I’m going to change up what I can.”

All of it directs back to Baalke.

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So count one more strike against Baalke moving forward. Each 49ers loss and each sub-par performance, failed draft pick and underwhelming stat line undermines the general manager’s authority this season.

And time is already winding down quickly.

Next: Disastrous 2015 Departures Aren't Why the 49ers Are Bad Now

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