When Chip Kelly was in charge of the Eagles, we often heard whispers that the coach coveted Colin Kaepernick and viewed him as the right kind of quarterback to lead his offense. Ever since Kelly has arrived in San Francisco, however, we’ve heard nothing but trade talk. After the first waive of free agency has left the Broncos, Jets, Browns, and other teams with question marks under center, the Kaepernick trade buzz has only gotten louder.
Here is the very latest on No. 7:
- The Browns are willing to part with their third-round pick in 2016 for Kaepernick, but only if he restructures his contract, sources tell Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. The 49ers want a second-round selection for Kaepernick, writes Cabot, who adds that Cleveland’s third-rounder (the second pick in that round) comes quite close to qualifying as one. The Broncos have the 63rd pick, but they don’t want to deal it for Kaepernick, tweets Albert Breer of NFL.com. Given that the Browns are likely to draft a quarterback in the first two rounds this year – perhaps as high as No. 2 overall – they might be averse to paying Kaepernick more than $7MM-$8MM per year (excluding potential incentives), according to Cabot. Kaepernick’s current average annual value is $19MM. Acquiring him would likely put veteran Josh McCown on Cleveland’s trading block, per Cabot.
Earlier updates:
- The Broncos and 49ers remain apart when it comes to compensation on Kaepernick, according to Michael Silver of the NFL Network. Per Silver, the Browns and Niners are more on the same page regarding trade compensation, but Kaepernick’s agents and the Browns haven’t been able to make much progress on a rework deal for the quarterback. The NFL Network reporter notes that the 49ers are preparing for the possibility of keeping Kaepernick.
- Silver tweets that the biggest question marks are whether the Broncos will increase their trade offer or whether the Browns will increase their contract offer for Kaepernick.
- Kaepernick wants to play for the Browns, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The quarterback has respect for new head coach Hue Jackson, making Cleveland an attractive destination for him. In the Kaepernick sweepstakes, the Browns are considered to be a more realistic trade partner than the Jets, who aren’t believed to be a serious suitor. The Broncos are also serious about him and may consider Kaepernick their top quarterback target.
- As long as Kaepernick isn’t dead set against joining a particular team, the 49ers will drive the decision and not the player, Michael Silver of NFL Network tweets.
- The Browns are still trying to trade for Kaepernick, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer. The Broncos are still actively in talks with the 49ers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
- There is “no rush” by the 49ers to trade Kaepernick, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets.
- Mike Florio of PFT believes the 49ers are intent on trading Kaepernick. Otherwise, he argues, they’d shooting down any trade rumors that come their way. Instead, Florio suspects that they are the source of many of these leaks.
If you’re the Browns, you’re not giving up anything other than a 4th rounder. With all of the players that just left, they have bigger holes to fill.
If the compensation is set, just do the trade. I think the Browns don’t want to pay the $12 million.
Very fishy that Kelly isn’t lobbying to keep CK to run his offense. Buyer beware.
Called it right after Hue Jackson got that job and Manziel was obviously on the outs. Wrench in this is the Broncos who I thought would be interested, but I didn’t know if they could pull it off because Stevie Wonder could see they weren’t in on Osweiler before he walked.
Fishy for who? Chip Kelly is a dummy who runs 5 plays. I think John Elway, Gary Kubiak, and Hue Jackson know a whole lot more about quarterbacks in the NFL than that guy.
Why not give up 2 1st round picks and call it the 2nd best trade in NFL history Hue?
I thought Hue would be smarter than this. A QB who can’t make pretty or post snap reads of thevfield/defense for what essentially amounts to a late 2nd round pick when we are drafting a QB regardless???? Why not take the best QB available ? If they make this trade then this staff is off to a “GREAT” start to building a winner. Let our own starters walk without nary an offer so we can sign retread QB who can’t beat out BLAINE GABBERT!!!!!
SMART AS ALWAYS BROWN-TOWN.
I’m finished if this happens. I will root for the Raiders who drafted most of the players that I wanted the Browns to take in past few years. Remember two years ago when the Browns were better than the Raiders with tons of cap room & draft picks??? Even the Jags make Browns look pathetic now.
D.O.N.E
35 years late
FU CLEVELAND BROWNS, and every owner/GM since 1999. Just disorder this sad joke of a frsnchise already.
God hates cleveland!!!!!
*pre
Not pretty
I think the Browns are still going to draft a qb but at what number? the #2 pick and draft Wentz or Goff or the second rd and go for best available QB? I think the 49ers want to do the trade, it’s whether Kaep is willing to restructure his deal. I think if the Browns didn’t care about the salary, he wouldve been gone already. Broncos need to step up with a second or its over for their dreams of Kaepernick.
If you’re the Browns you trade the 3rd Rd pick easy if he’s willing to restructure his contract. You get your “guy” with a third Rd pick and use your 1st Rd pick on D with Bosa or Ramsey. Neither QB is worth the no. 2 in my opinion. You get a WR with the 2nd Rd pick and start filling holes with your other picks. Yes they have a ton of holes, but you are not filling them all in one draft. Fill your biggest needs first and fill in around. Then look at some QB’s later in the draft. Say 4-5 round.
@pfrumors
Not true at all that we have heard nothing but trade talk about Kap since Chip arrived. Chip has only said he wants Kap to stay!
So some Brown fans would rather have an FBS or one of those spread guys who will have all the same problems Kaepernick had transitioning instead? If you can get him to cut his salary, you can stack the roster like in SF, which I think everyone agrees when he was at his best. You know he can do it in crunch time in big games with that kind of talent around him, or maybe some people really thought the Jim Tomsula era would be successful. You want to bet your franchise that those rookies can figure that out? Kaepernick has gone and won in New England, Pittsburgh, and GB several times. Yeah, but let’s get a rookie, lol.
This has nothing to do with Chip Kelly. He’s an idiot, but if you listen to multiple SF beat writers, they’ll tell you that management has been trashing Kapernick off the record similar to how they did with Harbaugh way before he got there, dating back to when they gave him his extension. So who blames him for not wanting to be there? Not to mention that everyone sees that they’re incompetent.