49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman chatted with the media on Thursday and was asked a couple of questions about quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The 49ers second round pick has spent much of the season on the sidelines, making two appearances thus far. He came in against Philadelphia but ended up simply handing the ball off. A week later he came in late against Tampa Bay and was 3-of-3 for 35 yards.
What kind of improvement have you seen from QB Colin Kaepernick in practice and where has he made his biggest leap?
"Colin has made leaps, really in every phase of his game. He needs to continue to do so. There's not one thing I can pinpoint. I will tell you this, he's definitely becoming more comfortable in a pro-style system. He's doing a really good job. There are certain things we knew he'd be really good at and he's getting even better at those. There are other things that we knew he was going to be at ground zero that he is marching up the ladder. It's a work in progress, but he's on the right path with the right approach."
Is there any temptation to give him more playing time just in case something were to happen at a critical juncture like the playoffs so that he has that under his belt?
"That's something that's definitely we would talk about. It's definitely something we would consider."
One of the intriguing aspects of potentially wrapping up the division and maybe a bye sooner rather than later is the chance to get some rest for your starters and playing time for backups. It will be great to potentially get to see guys like Aldon Smith and Kendall Hunter get some time, but I'm sure many folks would like to see some of Colin Kaepernick.
While Kaepernick has a ton of room for growth, he also has some impressive physical tools that you can't teach. It would be nice to see him get a shot at some playing time before the season ends just to see what improvements he has made from his preseason time to now. I doubt we'll see Kaepernick play a full game this season if Alex Smith is available, but there could be opportunities to get him substantial playing time.