Colin Kaepernick remains a free agent, and amidst a whole bunch of chatter last week, Peter King is back with some more thoughts on the quarterback. King floated an anonymous source (or sources) with the 49ers suggesting Kaepernick might be more interested in doing his community work rather than playing football.
That has since been shot down, but the question remains as to where he might land. King’s latest MMQB column offers up the Seattle Seahawks as the best option. He offered up ten reasons, using this as a lead-in to a column on Tuesday about the person Kaepernick has been working with in New York to prepare for another season of football. We’ll have more on that tomorrow, but in the meantime, King’s list of reasons includes:
- The Seahawks backup quarterbacks are atrocious (Trevone Boykin (arrested twice this offseason), Jake Heaps, Skyler Howard, and Michael Birdsong)
- The questionable offensive line only adds to the need for a quality backup
- “Pete Carroll leads the sports universe in free spirits/distractions on the roster.”
- John Schneider is open-minded enough to bring in the best players and figure if they fit.
- Paul Allen seems more open-minded than some of the more conservative NFL owners.
- Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell has done great work with an unconventional quarterback in Russell Wilson.
- It’s a low risk proposition if they end up cutting him.
- Seattle is a city that won’t rebel against it.
There has been discussion in the comments here about it seeming inevitable that Kap ends up with the Seahawks. One thing we don’t know at this point is whether or not he will accept a backup job. There have been rumors and speculation, but nothing concrete to say, this is what he wants.
That lack of clarity has led to rumors and speculation over the past week. It started with King saying 49ers sources thought he might be more interested in doing his community work rather than playing football. Then, sociologist and 49ers consultant Dr. Harry Edwards said three teams had contacted him about Kaepernick, asking if he could play and if he wanted to play. Kaepernick’s girlfriend denied the report, but the wording of the report vs. what was denied was a little confusing.
That was all followed by Shannon Sharpe saying Kaepernick spoke with him about what was going on. They exchanged tweets and then got on the phone, and Kap had the following to say.
“He says, ‘People keep putting out that I’m asking for ten, nine, ten million dollars. Shannon, they don’t know what I’m asking for. I have not talked to, my representative has not talked to.”
It would be a lot easier if Kaepernick came out and said what was on his mind, but given how the market should be working, it is also reasonable for him to expect teams to show even a modicum of interest. Pro Football Talk put together an impressively nuanced take on the situation. It looks at the value of him speaking out, but it points to the many reasons it makes sense that he should not have to actually specify exactly what he wants to the public.
I do think speaking out and saying, yes I’d accept a backup job (or no I would not) would be helpful, but for now, we are left to wait and wonder. The Seahawks would certainly make sense if Kaepernick is prepared to accept a backup job. The Seahawks report to training camp around July 29. Maybe something happens with them by then.