Colin Kaepernick - Pro Football Rumors

Schefter’s Latest: Lynch, Cowboys, Kaepernick

April 28th, 2016 at 9:03am CST by Zachary Links

The very latest from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com:

Unless the Cowboys trade back into the first round, it’s hard to find a landing spot for quarterback Paxton Lynch in the first round, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Schefter cautions that another team could be “laying in ambush.” This is surprising news considering the level of buzz that has been around the Memphis product for the last few weeks. Many reports have indicated that Lynch is regarded as the third-best quarterback in this year’s class behind Jared Goff and Carson Wentz. The Browns (No. 8), Bills (No. 19), and Jets (No. 20) have all been said to have a fondness for Lynch, though there have been conflicting reports on Gang Green’s interest level. In v2.0 of PFR’s 2016 NFL Mock Draft, Dallas Robinson has Lynch going No. 7 to the 49ers, with the assumption that a Colin Kaepernick deal has already been agreed upon.
Speaking of which, 49ers GM Trent Baalke told Bob Holtzman of ESPN that it’s possible Kaepernick could be traded this week (Twitter link via Schefter). The Broncos, of course, have been heavily connected to Kaepernick in recent weeks. Trade talks have reportedly been at a standstill as the QB refuses to take the kind of pay cut that Denver is pushing.
Quarterback Dak Prescott is going to go “higher than people expect,” Schefter tweets. The former Mississippi State standout rushed for more than 800 yards in both his sophomore and junior campaigns. A dynamic dual-threat talent, Prescott hurt his stock in March when he was arrested for a DUI.

West Rumors: Rams, Kaepernick, Broncos

April 27th, 2016 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rams know who they’ll be selecting to kick off the 2016 NFL draft on Thursday night, but they won’t let that player know until it’s time to submit the card at No. 1, as Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk writes.

“We’ll get in touch with the player just before putting the card in,” said Rams head coach Jeff Fisher, whose team will pick either Cal quarterback Jared Goff or North Dakota State signal-caller Carson Wentz. “There’s only a few things better in life than this phone call, these phone calls that are going to take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It’s a great opportunity and we don’t want to deny our pick the opportunity to experience that.”

As we wait for the team to confirm which quarterback will become the new face of the franchise in Los Angeles, let’s round up some other Tuesday updates from out of the West divisions…

49ers general manager Trent Baalke continues to leave the door open for a possible Colin Kaepernick trade, but Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link) hears the Broncos are unlikely to make a move for Kaepernick before or during the draft. While it’s not out of the question, there have been “zero talks” recently, according to Klis.
For the second consecutive year, pre-draft trade rumors are swirling around Cardinals wide receiver Michael Floyd, who says he’s not worried about that talk at all. “I go into work, put my work in, watch film with my teammates and go about my day,” Floyd said of the trade speculation, per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
Former Alabama edge defender Xzavier Dickson is working out today for the Seahawks, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Dickson was selected in the seventh round of the 2015 draft by the Patriots, but didn’t earn a spot on the team’s regular-season roster.
Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link) adds the Chiefs to the list of teams that hosted Florida wide receiver Demarcus Robinson for a pre-draft visit.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Broncos Rumors: Kaepernick, Hoyer, Miller

April 21st, 2016 at 1:33pm CST by Zachary Links

Trade talks between the Broncos and the 49ers regarding Colin Kaepernick are “dormant,” GM John Elway told reporters (Twitter link via James Palmer of NFL.com). However, he added that there is an offer on the table.

Here’s the latest out of Denver:

The Broncos are interested in signing Brian Hoyer, but they’re not in a rush to get a deal done, as Michael David Smith of PFT writes. “We had a good visit but he’s got another trip lined up. It’s a possibility. He’s a good football player. We wanted to have him in, meet him and get to know him a little bit. But nothing to report there,” Elway said.
The Broncos (and the Jets) remain interested in Hoyer, but both teams have a few balls in the air, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Each side will take a few days to think things over, so we shouldn’t expect Hoyer to sign with anyone today.
Elway said the status of negotiations with Von Miller is “not nearly as bad” as it has has been portrayed in the media lately (Twitter link via Lindsay Jones of USA Today)
When asked about Miller holding out, Elway said “This is all voluntary. If Von chooses to be here, then great. You always hope that everybody is here,” (Twitter link via Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post).
Elway said there have been contract proposals exchanged with Miller, and now that draft meetings are winding down, the two sides will have more time to talk (Twitter link via Jones).

49ers Rumors: Baalke, Kelly, Kaepernick, Davis

April 21st, 2016 at 9:36am CST by Zachary Links

Here’s the latest out of San Francisco:

Despite reports to the contrary, 49ers GM Trent Baalke insists that he is on good terms with head coach Chip Kelly, as Cam Inman of The Mercury News writes. “I can tell you emphatically that is total B.S,” Baalke said. “That’s all I can say. We’ve had absolutely a wonderful start to this relationship. There’s really nothing else to say. He’s coaching ball. And we’re up there in the draft room going to work. It couldn’t be better.” Baalke will be presiding over his seventh draft with the 49ers next week. Kelly, hired this offseason, is his fourth coach in San Francisco.
The 49ers have yet to sit down with Colin Kaepernick to discuss a potential trade, as Inman writes. “I have not talked to him personally. Face-to face, no,” Baalke said Wednesday in a media session. “He’s been in Aspen or Vail or one of those Colorado areas rehabbing. So, no. I plan to sit down as soon as this thing (the draft) is over with, just like I am with a lot of these players. I haven’t seen 85 percent of these guys.” However, the GM has talked with Kaepernick over the phone. Meanwhile, a source tells Inman that while Kaepernick is not thrilled with the team’s front office, he has no issues with Kelly.
49ers right tackle Anthony Davis has yet to apply for reinstatement but Baalke says that even if he did, it would not impact the 49ers’ draft strategy (via Inman).

Latest On Colin Kaepernick

April 19th, 2016 at 5:14pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Talks between the Broncos and 49ers regarding quarterback Colin Kaepernick have gone dormant in recent weeks, but the door isn’t yet closed on Kaepernick ending up in Denver before next season. Even after reporting to the 49ers’ voluntary workouts earlier this month, Kaepernick still doesn’t want to continue his career with the club and the feeling is mutual from ownership, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reports.

The acrimony between Kaepernick and 49ers brass is why the Broncos haven’t budged in trade talks, per La Canfora, who writes that Denver is holding out hope that the quarterback will reach an injury settlement with San Francisco and become a free agent. Kaepernick underwent left shoulder surgery in November and should be able to resume football activities in May.

Going forward, Kaepernick has five years left on his contract and is due a guaranteed $11.9MM in 2016. As of two weeks ago, the Broncos were reportedly hoping to push that $11.9MM number down to $7MM and have Kaepernick also take pay cuts in the other years of his deal. However, Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News reported then that Kaepernick’s camp was committed to either keeping the salaries intact or changing the contract to allow him to hit free agency next offseason, when his controlling team could cut him before his salary becomes guaranteed for 2017.

A resolution on the Kaepernick situation is possible before or during the upcoming draft, which is when La Canfora expects trade talks to intensify again. The 49ers hold the seventh pick and could potentially draft Kaepernick’s replacement – though both Cal’s Jared Goff and North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz should be off the board by then – thus helping to usher No. 7 out of town. The Broncos are set to pick 31st and could put the notion of acquiring Kaepernick to bed by selecting a signal-caller with that choice. Otherwise, if Kaepernick isn’t a Bronco by the end of the first round, he’d look like a rather appealing option compared to Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian, Denver’s current top two QBs.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Broncos, Kaepernick, P. Lynch, Bears

April 15th, 2016 at 10:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The blockbuster trade between the Rams and Titans that saw Los Angeles acquire the first pick in the draft, with which it will presumably select a quarterback, could have a notable ripple effect on the Broncos’ pursuit of Colin Kaepernick, writes Troy Renck of the Denver Post. If the Rams take Cal signal-caller Jared Goff and the Browns, who hold the second choice, prefer Goff to North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, it might lead Cleveland to trade down with a team that wants Wentz. If that team isn’t San Francisco, which is scheduled to pick seventh, it could result in the 49ers closing the door on trading Kaepernick. Renck doesn’t expect the 49ers to deal him without a legitimate solution at quarterback in place, and their best non-Kaepernick option right now is the less-than-stellar Blaine Gabbert.

Fallout Of Ryan Clady Trade

April 10th, 2016 at 9:50am CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at the fallout of, and reactions to, yesterday’s trade that sent Ryan Clady and a seventh-round draft pick from the Broncos to the Jets in exchange for a fifth-round draft choice:

A number of writers have pointed out that the trade, which saved the Broncos $8.9MM in salary cap space, creates room for the club to add a quarterback. However, as Mike Klis of 9News.com writes, the deal has no impact on whether Denver acquires current 49ers signal-caller Colin Kaepernick. Klis says that cap room had nothing to do with the Broncos offering Kaepernick a reduced 2016 salary of $7MM, and that they are offering him that salary because that is the current market value for elite backup quarterbacks (although Kaepernick would undoubtedly be the favorite to win the job as Denver’s starting QB, there would be an open competition between him and Mark Sanchez). As such, the most recent reports surrounding the Kaepernick-to-Denver rumors–that a deal is not dead, but is not likely at the moment–remain valid. Klis observes that the next deadline for a Kaepernick trade appears to be April 28, the first day of the 2016 draft, as any potential swap figures to include draft picks.
Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com says there is, of course, reason for the Jets to be concerned about the deal. After all, they are replacing the recently-retired D’Brickashaw Ferguson, one of the most durable players in recent history, with a player who has missed 30 of the past 48 games because of severe foot and knee injuries. On the other hand, Clady, when healthy, is a superior player, and just like the Brandon Marshall trade last year, this deal looks like a low-risk, high-reward move that could pay major dividends for second-year GM Mike Maccagnan. As ESPN’s Field Yates tweets, over the past two years, the Jets have turned a pair of fifth-round picks into Marshall, Clady, and two seventh-round picks.
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com says that the Clady trade should not preclude the Jets from selecting a tackle in the draft. Instead, he believes that, if the team has the opportunity to draft a tackle they like, they should pull the trigger and have that player begin his career on the right side of the line (Twitter links).
With Clady no longer available, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times points out that there are no longer any difference-making left tackles who the Seahawks could target (barring, of course, any potential cuts). Although Clady was unlikely to end up in Seattle anyway, it is now a near certainty that the Seahawks will head into the 2016 campaign with Garry Gilliam and Bradley Sowell battling for the left tackle job, with the team likely adding more competition in the draft. ESPN’s Sheil Kapadia tweets that the Seahawks did not pursue Clady more strongly because of financial reasons, not because of the draft choice they would have needed to part with.
Similarly, the Lions–who were connected to at least some degree to many of the left tackles on the trade and free markets his offseason–now have no other choice but to deploy Riley Reiff at left tackle to open the 2016 campaign, as Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Pres writes. The team could target a LT in the draft, but outside of Laremy Tunsil–who is not falling to the Lions–no first-year players project to be immediately better than Reiff.

Extra Points: Thomas, Mathieu, Browner, Draft

April 6th, 2016 at 10:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Broncos continue to reside up against the salary cap, ESPN.com’s Field Yates points out Demaryius Thomas‘ contract can help the Super Bowl champions clear $9.18MM worth of space.

A clause in the seventh-year wide receiver’s five-year, $70MM deal indicates the Broncos can convert any amount of Thomas’ $13MM 2016 salary into a signing bonus, which would then be spread out over the final four seasons of the pact, Yates reports. The Broncos reducing that salary to the veteran minimum of $760K would free up $9.18MM of cap space this year. The team currently resides in cap peril, with barely $1MM in space before signing Jared Crick on Wednesday, as it attempts to work out a Colin Kaepernick trade.

A Thomas restructure would make sense for the Broncos, who have many high-priced contracts on a cap sheet — although, Ryan Clady and Von Miller‘s respective $10.1 and $14.1MM numbers could well be reduced soon, or removed in Clady’s case — that doesn’t include a high-priced quarterback. Denver currently wants Kaepernick at $7MM for 2016 and ’17, but in 2017, the Broncos are as of now set to have $72.36MM of space — second-most in the league.

They’d have more room for a higher Thomas cap number with contracts like Clady’s and DeMarcus Ware‘s off their balance sheet after the 2016 league year. The Dolphins put a similar clause in Ndamukong Suh‘s deal last year.

Here’s the latest from around the league.

Rehabbing from the torn ACL he sustained in Week 15, Tyrann Mathieu said he would prefer to stay with the Cardinals long-term but acknowledges the negotiation could be tricky, with the versatile defensive back wanting a top-end contract but at a time when he’s coming off a second knee surgery, Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com writes in an expansive piece. “They have concerns, which is understandable,” Mathieu told Prisco. “I’ve had two knee surgeries. At the same time, they know who I am as a teammate, as a football player, what I mean to the community and what I can do on the football field. The easiest thing is to pay me as a safety. But if [Patrick Peterson‘s] guy goes down, I have to check Pat’s guy. For me, it’s about me being compensated for everything I do.” In late February, we heard the contract-year safety and the Cardinals were discussing an extension, but nothing has emerged from those talks as of yet.
Vernon Davis can earn up to $4.5MM in 2016 if he meets all the incentives of his Washington contract, Mike Jones of the Washington Post reports. Davis’ deal is officially a one-year, $1.66MM pact, but the 12th-year tight end meeting those as-of-now unspecified performance incentives could more than double that.
Brandon Browner posted on his Instagram account (via Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com) that he played through a torn MCL last season with the Saints. The recently released cornerback said he tore the ligament in the Saints’ first preseason game. This would help explain a steep decline that resulted in Pro Football Focus bestowing by far its worst full-time cornerback grade on Browner in 2015.
Paxton Lynch has a Cowboys visit lined up for Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, and will trek to San Diego for a Chargers meeting soon after. The 49ers also sent multiple representatives to observe the Memphis prospect at his pro day Wednesday, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
The Bills received good value on a nontraditional quarterback accord last season and still employ Tyrod Taylor but are taking a wide-ranging glance of this year’s quarterback crop. Bills reps ate dinner with Lynch and plan to visit with Connor Cook, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The team also already met with Christian Hackenberg, per Albert Breer of NFL.com, and has done plenty of research on Jared Goff.
Lynch had multiple work-related meals Wednesday, with the Saints meeting with the first-round prospect over lunch, Rapoport tweets. Indiana quarterback Nate Sudfeld will also visit the Saints soon.
The Cowboys met with Carson Wentz on Wednesday, according to the team’s website. The North Dakota State prospect also worked extensively with Cowboys coaches at the Senior Bowl.
Germain Ifedi has a busy schedule upcoming after performing for teams at Texas A&M’s pro day Wednesday. The Aggies’ latest tackle prospect has a slew of visits and workouts booked, WalterFootball.com’s Tony Pauline reports. Ifedi’s visit itinerary features summits with the Lions, Panthers, Bears and Texans after having already met with the Titans and Dolphins. The Cardinals, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Panthers, Texans and Falcons have scheduled workouts with Ifedi.
Veteran quarterback Seth Lobato is working out for the Panthers, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).

Zach Links contributed to this report

Latest On Broncos, Colin Kaepernick

April 6th, 2016 at 3:25pm CST by Zachary Links

It sounds like the Colin Kaepernick saga is not close to a resolution. The Broncos are pushing for Colin Kaepernick to agree to a drastic salary reduction that would call for him to earn $7MM in 2016 rather than the $12MM he’s currently scheduled to make. On top of that, as Tim Kawakami of The Mercury News writes, Denver is looking for the 49ers quarterback to also take pay cuts in each of the remaining years of his deal.

The 49ers, as we’ve heard before, are unwilling to help bridge the gap by paying off part of Kaepernick’s contract. Meanwhile, Kaepernick’s camp is fairly committed to either keeping the salaries in tact or letting him hit free agency next offseason, when his controlling team could cut him loose before his salary becomes guaranteed for 2017. Kaepernick is not unwilling to take a pay cut, as Kawakami and others have reported, but he is not willing to give up quite this much in the way of guaranteed cash.

Meanwhile, the QB needs at least one more month before he is football-ready, a source tells Mindi Bach of CSNBayArea.com. As Mike Florio of PFT writes, that effectively sets a deadline for a potential Kaepernick trade since the 49ers will not want to chance him suffering a serious injury and thereby tanking his trade value. The Broncos believe that if they stand their ground, they will eventually convince the 49ers to eat part of Kaepernick’s salary.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Colin Kaepernick, Broncos

April 5th, 2016 at 6:15pm CST by Zachary Links

TUESDAY, 6:15pm: While Kaepernick isn’t totally opposed to the idea of reducing his salary as part of a trade, he isn’t interested in a pay cut as significant as Denver has proposed, writes Mindi Bach of CSNBayArea.com.

A source tells CSNBayArea.com that the Broncos actually want to reduce Kaepernick’s salary to $7MM for 2017 in addition to 2016. Considering the Niners quarterback currently has the ability to earn more than $14MM in 2016 alone through base salary and bonuses, it makes sense that he wouldn’t have interest in a deal that would pay him about the same amount over the course of two years.

MONDAY, 6:43pm: The talks have stalled due to the issue with Kaepernick’s salary, but they’re not necessarily done for good, Mark Maske of The Washington Post tweets.

1:18pm: Colin Kaepernick is staying put in San Francisco, at least for now. The 49ers quarterback refuses to take a pay cut and the Niners are refusing to pay off part of his contract to help facilitate a trade with Denver, according to a source who spoke with Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter).

Trade speculation involving Kaepernick swirled all weekend, with conflicting reports on whether or not the Broncos and 49ers were close to reaching a trade agreement. Although there was some disagreement on how close the two sides were on agreeing to trade compensation, virtually every report suggested that Denver would want Kaepernick at a reduced salary. Now we know that No. 7 is unwilling take a pay cut from his current $11.9MM figure, which is fully guaranteed. The Niners are also unwilling to eat a portion of that to ease the Broncos’ financial commitment.

Earlier today we learned that Kaepernick was spotted on a flight from Denver to the Bay Area, meaning that he is reporting to the 49ers. By reporting, Kaepernick is able to cash in on his $400K workout bonus, but he likely won’t be able to do much as he continues to rehab from injuries.

The Broncos’ quarterback depth chart currently consists of Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian and while they have said that they would be willing to head into the season with Sanchez as the starter, they have been exploring their options and heavily considering a Kaepernick deal. The 49ers, meanwhile, have Blaine Gabbert under contract and theoretically could afford to part with Kaepernick. Still, they have been steadfast in their desire to get value in return for the one-time superstar and unwilling to split the check.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.