Latest On Colin Kaepernick

The Seahawks are considering Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III as they look for a backup quarterback, but the club reportedly prefers the former 49ers signal-caller as a reserve behind starter Russell Wilson. Wilson, for what it’s worth, would be comfortable with Seattle adding Kaepernick despite the pair’s rivalry.

Let’s take a look at the latest on Kaepernick as his market seemingly heats up:

  • Kaepernick is fully intent on playing the 2017 campaign, and been getting ready for football as if he was a starting quarterback for an NFL team,” trainer Josh Hidalgo tells Peter King of TheMMQB.com. While clubs are reportedly concerned about Kaepernick’s weight and vegan diet, or the fact that he may be more committed to social justice issues than football, Hidalgo paints a strikingly different picture of the free agent quarterback. “From the beginning, Colin laid it out: These are the things NFL teams will be concerned about—my weight, my diet,” Hidalgo says. “Then we took care of his explosiveness, and now there is nothing he cannot do.”
  • The Seahawks’ interest in Kaepernick makes sense for a multitude of reasons, opines Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. Given that multiple Seattle players have voiced support for Kaepernick’s stance on the national anthem, he wouldn’t present a problem in the locker room — especially because head coach Pete Carroll wouldn’t attempt to restrict what Kaepernick can or cannot say. On the field, Kaepernick doesn’t turn the ball over and can offer a running element, something Wilson couldn’t do in 2016 thanks to a litany of injuries.
  • Defensive lineman Michael Bennett is among the Seahawks players who would welcome Kaepernick with open arms, as he called Seattle a “perfect place” for Kaepernick during an appearance on 710 ESPN (link via Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com). “I think a person that’s dedicating their life to creating change, why wouldn’t you want that type of leadership in your locker room?” said Bennett. “I think he would be very good in our locker room,” Bennett said. “I don’t know why he wouldn’t. I think we all talk about the same issues. It’s just that he had the courage to be able to step up, and I get it.”
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