If all goes according to plan, the 49ers will lock up quarterback Colin Kaepernick to a new contract before he throws his next pass in an NFL game. That’s what GM Trent Baalke told reporters today, including Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News and Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
“We’re going to work extremely hard, very diligently in trying to get something done prior to training camp,” Baalke said. “That’s the objective right now, as it stands.”
According to Baalke, the two sides, including 49ers president Paraag Marathe and Kaepernick’s agent Scott Smith, have had general “lay of the land” discussions about an extension for the 26-year-old. The next step will be to explore specific figures and years in face-to-face meetings.
Finding a number that works for both Kaepernick and the 49ers won’t necessarily be easy. San Francisco has been able to put together a perennial contender in recent years in part because the modest cap numbers for Kaepernick and Alex Smith before him allowed the team to add plenty of talent at other positions. However, with Kaepernick reportedly seeking in the neighborhood of $20MM+ annually on his next deal, the Niners may have to get creative as they consider how to keep the Nevada-Reno alum around long-term.