Adam Schefter is apparently doubling down to a certain extent on his Saturday report about a potential Colin Kaepernick trade. Schefter reported on Saturday that draft pick compensation was agreed upon, but a contract restructuring was the remaining issue. Today, he is reporting the Broncos are willing to pay $7 million of his 2016 salary, but are looking for either the 49ers to pay the remaining $4.9 million or Kaepernick to give it up. His source says "it would take two seconds" to get a deal done if that money was agreed upon.
Schefter's Saturday report was contradicted to some extent by Ian Rapoport, Matt Barrows, and Pro Football Talk. They all reported that draft pick compensation is not in fact completed. Of course, given Schefter's source saying it would take "two seconds", maybe the definition of how much is completed is up for debate.
Schefter is reporting the remaining years on Kaepernick's contract have been agreed upon, but the 2016 salary is holding this up. Given that the rest of his contract is not guaranteed, it seems like that would be easier for the Broncos to come to an agreement with regard to salaries. The 2016 salary is the only part that is fully guaranteed, so obviously that is the part that will be difficult.
I had heard Kaepernick was willing to re-negotiate his salary, so I am not sure exactly who is putting this information out there. When the deal is finally done, we'll have a better idea of who has been telling the truth on what aspects of this. This whole thing has been a [site decorum] show, so it is no surprise it is going through one more annoying turn before it comes to a close. I do think it will be resolved, but it remains to be seen how exactly that happens. Maybe the 49ers convert some salary to signing bonus. Maybe Kaepernick gives up some money. Maybe the Broncos and Kaepernick agree on converting some of the salary to more incentive-based. I think it should be the last option, but who knows where this ends up.