San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick will indeed opt out of his contract with the team and test the free-agent market. Niner Noise breaks down why.
NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday morning San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick would indeed opt out of his current contract with the team and hit the free-agent market this offseason.
Kaepernick, who recently parted ways with his previous representation, is now represented by agents Jeff Nalley and Sean Kiernan, per the report.
And both informed the rest of the league Kap was going to opt out.
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Kaepernick’s future with the Niners has been cloudy at best, ever since former head coach Jim Harbaugh left San Francisco after the 2014 season.
But a week ago, new general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan met with the embattled quarterback. And, according to reports, the meeting was “very positive.”
So why would Kaepernick want to leave?
The quarterback would have received $14.5 million guaranteed if he remained on San Francisco’s roster in 2017. It’s highly unlikely he’ll get anything close to that amount elsewhere. So we can rule out finances as a chief part of Kaepernick’s decision-making process.
Other Reasons Behind Colin Kaepernick’s Decision
Positive meetings are one thing. Actually viewing Kaepernick as a part of the 49ers’ long-term rebuild is another.
Shanahan and Lynch have certainly kept their options open regarding the quarterback. And that’s fine. The QB market is awfully slim this offseason, both in free agency and the NFL Draft.
But it’s entirely possible Kap sees the writing on the wall. He’ll turn 30 years old this November, and he knows he’s probably not part of any long-term plans either Lynch and/or Shanahan have for the 49ers struggling offense.
That $14.5 million base salary speaks measures too. It’s money the Niners could easily use elsewhere, and there’s no guarantee San Francisco would retain him if he didn’t opt out.
This leads us to the next reason. Kaepernick probably wants to hit free agency as soon as possible at the time when quarterback-needy teams have a full plate of options. Not later on, potentially after a roster cut, when teams have already signed free-agent quarterbacks.
He knows he’ll take a pay cut elsewhere, but he still could have a chance to start. And it still could, in theory, be with the 49ers.
A Chance Reunion with the 49ers?
It’s possible. Just not totally likely.
On one hand, both Lynch and Shanahan know the quarterback market is thin this offseason. So we can’t rule out the chance Kaepernick re-signs with San Francisco on a lesser deal.
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It’s also possible the market on Kaepernick’s services is relatively thin too. An overwhelming majority of NFL executives around the league don’t think highly of the quarterback, according to Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman, when considering Kap’s national anthem protest. So it’s reasonable to assume the quarterback won’t have too many suitors on the open market.
But would that automatically mean a return to Santa Clara?
Perhaps. Yet a gut feeling points to both sides wanting a fresh start elsewhere — the “clean slate” so often discussed with the 49ers this offseason.
So who knows where Kaepernick winds up. And there’s even a good chance he doesn’t wind up playing anywhere in 2017.