49ers should trade Colin Kaepernick
The San Francisco 49ers should trade quarterback Colin Kaepernick as soon as possible. Not because of his sitting during the national anthem or because the Santa Clara police might strike their home games because of his ridiculously immature sock collection, but because it’s the right football move.
Earlier in the week, it was announced by head coach Chip Kelly that Kaepernick had lost out in the battle for the starting spot to Blaine Gabbert. Think about that for a moment. Gabbert came to the 49ers in a trade from the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014 and has played in nine games since. With the 49ers, Gabbert has thrown for 2,039 yards with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions, completing 63 percent of his throws.
While it is understandable that Kelly wants to go with Gabbert, it also says volumes about his opinion toward Kaepernick. If you can’t beat out one of the biggest first-round flops in recent memory (to this point) then you don’t have much of a future on the team.
On Saturday, we witnessed one of the more stunning trades of the past 15 years when the Minnesota Vikings dealt a 2017 first and 2018 conditional fourth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Sam Bradford. Bradford is 28 years old and has never been to the playoffs. Kaepernick is also 28 and has been to both the Super Bowl and an NFC Championship Game. Kaepernick is also mobile and has a rocket for an arm. Bradford is a statue and has always been injury-prone, as evidenced by two torn ACLs.
This is where the national anthem business comes in. Teams will be wary of Kaepernick because of the potential PR hit. They will also say the same thing as stated above. If he can’t beat out Gabbert, how worthy is he of starting here? All that said, the talent is clearly there, which is why Denver Broncos general manager John Elway tried to acquire him for a second-round pick in the spring.
For his career, the former University of Nevada star has thrown for 10,030 yards with 56 touchdowns and 26 interceptions. He is also on a series of one-year deal wrapped into a long-term contract (Kaepernick can be cut after any season and not be owed money). There is no reason for a team in need of a quarterback – see the New York Jets or potentially the Dallas Cowboys – to not offer some serious compensation for a player of this quality.
San Francisco isn’t going anywhere this season, next season and maybe the one after that. Kaepernick is clearly not part of Kelly’s plan, either short or long term. At some juncture, the best move is to part ways, get a pick or two and move on. The time has come.
