Colin Kaepernick

AFC East Notes: Patriots, Tannehill, Jets

November 28th, 2015 at 7:42pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Patriots have dealt with numerous key injuries this year and that will continue to be the case to an almost ridiculous extent Sunday, as the team announced (via Twitter) that wideout Danny Amendola and Jamie Collins won’t play against the 8-2 Broncos in Denver.

While doubting this year’s 10-0 Pats (or any team led by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick) seems unwise, Bob McManaman of AZCentral opines that their injury issues have them primed for a nose dive. McManaman writes that the losses of Julian Edelman, Dion Lewis, Nate Solder, Amendola and Aaron Dobson have depleted New England’s AFC-best offense, one that had difficulty in a 20-13 win over Buffalo on Monday. The Bills harassed Brady consistently and held him to season lows in completion percentage (51.3), yards (277), yards per attempt (7.10) and quarterback rating (72.3). Further, they kept Brady’s favorite target, all-world tight end Rob Gronkowski, out of the end zone and held him to season worsts in catches (two) and yards (37). McManaman argues that the Bills provided the blueprint for stopping Gronkowski by stacking the box and putting two defenders on him while pressuring Brady. That could be easier said than done for many teams, but maybe not for a Broncos defense that leads the NFL in both passing yards per game allowed and sacks.

As we wait to see how the injury-ravaged Patriots fare in Denver, here’s more from the AFC East:

Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill has underwhelmed at times this year, but he still has the full confidence of the team’s front office, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. There’s a disconnect between the coaching staff and front office regarding Tannehill, per Salguero, as the former views the fourth-year man as a game manager and the latter sees him as someone with franchise QB potential. Executive vice president Mike Tannenbaum and company think so highly of the 27-year-old Tannehill that, hypothetically, they’d take him as a long-term option over the similarly aged Cam Newton, Salguero reports. If interim head coach Dan Campbell doesn’t get on board with that type of thinking, it seems his time atop Miami’s staff will definitely end in another six games.
With journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick having come back to earth after a hot start, Bob Glauber of Newsday took a look at possible No. 1 quarterback options for the Jets in 2016. If it’s not Fitzpatrick, it certainly won’t be backup Geno Smith – whom the Jets have no faith in, per Glauber. Among a slew of flawed options, Colin Kaepernick could be the most interesting outside possibility. The mobile Kaepernick – who is on the outs in San Francisco – is still young (28), not far removed from success, and could fare well under offensive coordinator Chan Gailey.
One reason the Jets have gone from 4-1 to 5-5 is the decreased production of wideout Brandon Marshall. Glauber writes that the Jets have to find a way to make him a dominant part of their offense again. Marshall caught 37 passes for 511 yards and four touchdowns in the Jets’ first five games and has hauled in 12 fewer receptions (25) for 222 fewer yards (289) over the last five, though he has accrued nearly as many TDs (three). The reason for the drop in productivity, according to Marshall, “I’m being double-teamed a lot more.” Added Gailey, “We need him to be involved to be a successful offense. They’re taking him away right now, and we don’t have enough other people involved in the passing game to take that away from them.”

NFC Notes: Kaepernick, Cowboys, Giants

November 23rd, 2015 at 9:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Peter King of The MMQB talked to a “few league people” over the weekend about possible landing spots for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The ordered list starts with the Eagles at the top which makes sense given Chip Kelly’s offense and their need for a signal caller. After that, it’s the Jets, Ravens, and Raiders on King’s list.

The Raiders are a surprising one, of course, because of the presence of Derek Carr, but it could be a possibility for Kaepernick if he doesn’t get a starting opportunity elsewhere. King hears that the Raiders likely would have picked Kaepernick in the 2011 draft had the 49ers not leapfrogged them on the draft board. “Al [Davis] was upset,” Hue Jackson, the coach at the time, told King a couple of years ago. “So was I. Scouting him, I fell in love with the kid.” Years later, King hears that there are some within the Raiders organization that believe Kaepernick can be saved.

Here’s more from the NFC:

Cowboys running back Christine Michael and cornerback Corey White were released, in part, because they did not wear suits on their road trip to Tampa Bay, a source tells Brandon George of SportsDay DFW. “Sometimes you just have to drop the hammer,” a Cowboys player said about the decision to part ways with the two veterans. White later confirmed that version of events with TMZ.
Giants center Weston Richburg has a high ankle sprain, according to Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger (on Twitter). That’s potentially bad news for the center’s availability going forward.
Panthers wide receiver Stephen Hill, who is currently on IR, has been suspended for one game for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, as David Newton of ESPN.com writes. Hill was stopped and cited for possession of marijuana over the summer, leading to his one-game ban. Hill can serve his suspension now, despite being medically unfit to play.

West Notes: Lynch, Chargers, Fisher

November 23rd, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

Following up on a Sunday report, which indicated that Marshawn Lynch is visiting a specialist in Philadelphia about a possible sports hernia, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms that the Seahawks running back is believed to suffering from a sports hernia. If Dr. Williams Meyers, that Philadelphia specialist, agrees with that diagnosis, Lynch would likely undergo surgery immediately, and may miss the rest of the regular season.

It’s worth noting that Jaguars wide receiver Allen Hurns visited Dr. Meyers last week for an abdominal injury, and ultimately decided to put off possible sports hernia surgery until after the season, returning to action for Jacksonville last Thursday against the Titans. Of course, not every sports hernia injury is the same, and it’s possible Lynch’s will require more immediate attention, but we shouldn’t officially write off Beast Mode for the next few weeks quite yet.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s West divisions:

With the Chargers out of the 2015 playoff picture, it’s time for team chairman Dean Spanos to consider the club’s long-term prospects, according to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com, who suggests that both head coach Mike McCoy and general manager Tom Telesco are on the hot seat in San Diego.
McCoy must go, says Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. According to Acee, who argues that the Chargers head coach should be relieved of his duties at season’s end, it means something that McCoy hasn’t lost the team this season, but “it just doesn’t mean enough.”
Another head coach whose seat appears to be getting a little warmer is Jeff Fisher, writes Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. While the Rams haven’t enjoyed very strong quarterback play during Fisher’s tenure in St. Louis, it’s worth noting that Fisher pushed for the acquisition of Nick Foles, who was benched during the club’s current three-game losing streak, notes Garafolo.
Within that same piece, Garafolo also addresses the Colin Kaepernick situation, indicating that sources close to Kaepernick were “adamant” that the 49ers quarterback didn’t consider his contract status when he made the decision to undergo shoulder surgery. Still, it could become a sticking point this offseason — Kaepernick’s 2016 salary is guaranteed for injury only until April 1, and while the Niners expect the QB to be able to pass a physical by then, those physicals are somewhat subjective. Kaepernick’s camp could cite other physicians with differing opinions and try to fight the team to get his salary guaranteed if he’s cut before April.

Colin Kaepernick Rumors: Sunday

November 22nd, 2015 at 7:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although their actions are pointing toward a divorce with Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers aren’t connecting those dots publicly yet.

GM Trent Baalke didn’t reaffirm Kaepernick’s status as San Francisco’s quarterback, per Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com, but obviously didn’t close the door on a return, with the trade market for the injured quarterback’s services to consider.

“Right now is not the time to get into the particulars,” Baalke told media Sunday of Kaepernick’s future as the team’s quarterback. “Right now, he’s no different than any other player that’s been placed on IR. When that surgery takes place, then the rehab process, getting him ready for the offseason program’s the next step.

“They’ll be involved in all the meetings. They’ll rehab. They’ll condition. They’ll do all the things. No different than any other player that we have on IR.”

Kaepernick only appeared on the Week 11 injury report due to the fifth-year passer initially seeking treatment but not following up on it until complaining of pain recently, Baalke said, before adding the decision for the surgical procedure on his left shoulder was mutual.

Here is more Kaepernick fallout.

After an NFL Network reported claimed three teams made trade overtures to the 49ers for Kaepernick recently, Baalke denied any teams contacted them, per Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group (on Twitter). Before Kaepernick’s 2016 salary of $11.9MM becomes guaranteed on April 1, such action will presumably move to the top of the front office’s itinerary.
A trade for Kaepernick will likely be something the 49ers will push for as he recovers from labrum surgery, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes that scenario has significant flaws. Even though there is no more fully guaranteed money on Kaepernick’s deal, more than $31MM of guaranteed-against-injury money exists on the contract, making a trade nearly untenable. A deal would also be contingent on Kaepernick being healthy at the time of the trade, and Florio writes the signal-caller won’t be in any hurry to do the 49ers any favors — like the team-friendly deal he signed in June 2014 that gave them a relatively easy out after this second year — after what’s being perceived as a financially conscious move putting him on injured reserve now. Kaepernick forcing a release would allow him to land in the best situation for him, whereas a trade clearly benefits the 49ers.
The 49ers have no visits scheduled with other quarterbacks yet, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com reports (on Twitter). Blaine Gabbert and the recently promoted Dylan Thompson are the only two on the active roster.

More On Colin Kaepernick’s Future

November 22nd, 2015 at 10:24am CST by Rory Parks

It came as something of a surprise when the 49ers placed Colin Kaepernick on injured reserve yesterday, and there has been no shortage of speculation regarding Kaepernick’s future since the move was made official. Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com believes the 49ers’ decision was motivated primarily by financial considerations, as putting Kaepernick on IR now allows the team to manage the risks in his contract. On April 1, 2016, Kaepernick’s $11.9MM base salary, currently guaranteed for injury only, becomes fully guaranteed. At this point, Kaepernick has 19 weeks until April 1 to recover from his shoulder injury, which seems easy enough to do (although, as discussed below, that may not be the case). But if the 49ers were to wait, and if Kaepernick were to continue practicing or playing in games–remember, he was forced into action for several plays two weeks ago when Blaine Gabbert was temporarily sidelined–his recovery time would be lessened, and the chances that he would be recovered by April 1 would be correspondingly reduced. Now, however, he should be fully healthy by April 1, thereby allowing the team to release him should it choose to do so.

Putting Kaepernick on IR now also allows San Francisco to “spin” the injury in such a way as to enhance the quarterback’s trade value. The consensus at this point seems to be that Kaepernick injured his shoulder in the 49ers’ contest against the Packers on October 4. It will be very easy for the team to say that Kaepernick’s underwhelming performance this season can be largely attributed to the injury and his efforts to play through it, and a team desperate enough for a quarterback may buy it. Indeed, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes, the 49ers received calls from three different teams at the trade deadline who were hoping to acquire Kaepernick, but those clubs could not take on his contract midseason. Rapoport adds that, given the outside interest in Kaepernick and the fact that both player and team appear anxious for a fresh start, the 49ers will continue to explore trade options in the offseason.

Neither Rapoport nor Fitzgerald believe Kaepernick will be in a 49ers uniform in 2016, but Rapoport’s information regarding Kaepernick’s recovery time could complicate matters a bit. Rapoport writes that Kaepernick is expected to undergo surgery to repair the fully torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder this Tuesday, and that recovery can last from four to six months. If the longer estimate ends up being the correct one, then Kaepernick may not be able to pass a physical by April 1, thereby forcing the team to guarantee his salary. Even if that happens, though, a trade still looks like the most likely scenario, as the relationship between the parties appears too far gone to salvage.

NFC Notes: Gabbert, Lions, Packers, Seahawks

November 21st, 2015 at 8:16pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Three years ago, in the midst of a run to the playoffs, the 49ers elected to replace starting quarterback Alex Smith with backup Colin Kaepernick. That decision paid major dividends for a couple of years before the 49ers’ coaching staff and roster fell apart and Kaepernick’s career went off the rails.

With Kaepernick now on injured reserve and likely done in San Francisco, new starter Blaine Gabbert has a chance to follow in Smith’s footsteps and revive his career. Long before he lost his job to Kaepernick, Smith was the No. 1 pick in the 2005 draft. He was maligned with the 49ers until 2011, when he turned his career around. Smith has since been an effective starter for both the Niners and Chiefs, and it isn’t crazy to suggest Gabbert could go down a similar road, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle opines.

Gabbert was the 10th overall pick in 2011 and had three woeful seasons in Jacksonville before joining the 49ers last year. He made his first start with the team Nov. 8 and helped lead it to a 17-16 win over the Falcons, going 15 of 25 for 185 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. As Branch writes, Gabbert has seven more starts to show 49ers brass what he’s capable of, and he could make a big statement in Seattle on Sunday. That will clearly be a tall order against the NFC’s top-ranked pass defense. Regardless, 49ers offensive coordinator Geep Chryst is hopeful Gabbert can be Smith 2.0.

“There were some similarities to what we felt Alex Smith went through,” said Chryst, who was the 49ers’ quarterbacks coach from 2011-12. “And we felt like Blaine had all this talent and, as a young player, maybe a change of scenery would be good for him.”

More on the 49ers and some other NFC teams:

In a scathing piece, Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News refers to 49ers brass as “bizarre and mindlessly cryptic” for how it handled Kaepernick’s injury. Kawakami likens the end of Kaepernick’s time in San Francisco to that of former 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, whose battle with the front office led to his departure after last season.
Though the Lions are sitting near the bottom of the league at 2-7, their general manager opening is highly appealing, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com submits. The reasons: Detroit’s abundance of draft picks, positive salary cap situation, the return of injured linebacker DeAndre Levy in 2016, and the likelihood of the new GM having full autonomy over the football department.
The 6-3 Packers might play Sunday’s crucial game against NFC North rival Minnesota (7-2) with only four receivers, as Jared Abbrederis is out, Ty Montgomery is doubtful and, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky (Twitter link), the team won’t call up Ed Williams from the practice squad. Green Bay is on a three-game losing streak and one contributing factor has been a decline in the passing game, so having a minimal amount of targets probably won’t help Aaron Rodgers‘ cause against the Vikings – who have been stingy against quarterbacks this year. Their defense ranks eighth in the league in aerial yardage allowed, ninth in yards per attempt and 12th in passer rating.
The Seahawks will wait another week to activate cornerback Jeremy Lane, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. Lane, who suffered ACL and wrist injuries in the Super Bowl last February, came off the physically unable to perform list two weeks ago and has been practicing since. If the Seahawks don’t activate him for their Nov. 29 game against the Steelers, they’ll have to place him on season-ending IR.

QB Notes: Osweiler, Winston, Manziel, Kaep

November 21st, 2015 at 6:58pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Three years after the Broncos selected him in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft, quarterback Brock Osweiler will finally make his first career start Sunday. Osweiler has sat behind the now-injured Peyton Manning as QBs who were taken after him have garnered far more playing time. Seattle’s Russell Wilson, chosen 18 picks after Osweiler, is already a Super Bowl winner and one of the most decorated signal callers in the league. Kirk Cousins – who went 31 choices behind Osweiler – is doing a fine job in his first season as Washington’s starter. On the other hand, Nick Foles (45 picks after Osweiler) has cooled off significantly since a red-hot 2013 and is currently riding the bench in St. Louis.

The Broncos opted for Osweiler with the 57th pick in 2012 rather than someone like Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David – who went 58th – for multiple reasons, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com: 1. General manager John Elway liked Osweiler’s size (6-foot-8, 240 pounds), especially compared to the diminutive Wilson’s (5-11, 206). 2. Manning came to the Broncos that year off a major neck injury, so Denver wanted to make sure it could find an insurance policy as early as possible in the draft. In Elway’s opinion at the time, Osweiler was the best fit. We’ll begin finding out whether he can be the answer for 7-2 Denver when its struggling offense goes on the road Sunday to face 4-5 Chicago.

Here are some more QB notes from around the league:

Buccaneers rookie Jameis Winston has notified CNN that he could sue the network if it goes through with its Sunday plan to broadcast “The Hunting Ground,” a documentary about college campus rape, according to ESPN. The documentary centers on Winston’s rape investigation from his time at Florida State and includes the first public interview with his accuser, Erica Kinsman. “We urge CNN to reconsider the reckless decision to proceed with the broadcast of this deeply-flawed documentary in the face of the overwhelming evidence the film’s producers consciously and intentionally failed to adhere to any accepted journalistic standards,” Winston’s lawyer wrote in a letter to CNN.
The Browns decided earlier this week that second-year man Johnny Manziel, not veteran Josh McCown, will start the rest of the season under center. Head coach Mike Pettine was committed to McCown earlier this season, but Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer opines that he made the choice because it’s time to truly see what Manziel can do. At 2-8, the Browns need to find out whether Manziel, a first-rounder in 2013, can be the answer going forward. If not, they might need to spend another top pick on a QB in next year’s draft. If the draft were today, they’d pick No. 1, which has often been a prime spot to land a franchise passer. Manziel has acquitted himself well statistically this season, especially in a 372-yard effort in a loss to Pittsburgh last Sunday, and will obviously need to continue doing so in order to convince the Browns to use their first-rounder on another position.
After the 49ers’ Colin Kaepernick landed on season-ending injured reserve with a torn left labrum earlier Saturday, his brother tweeted that he played four and a half games with the injury. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora subsequently deduced that Kaepernick sustained the injury during a Week 4 loss to Green Bay. The 49ers are now acknowledging that they did examine Kaepernick’s shoulder after the Packers game, though they concluded at the time that he didn’t suffer a significant injury (Twitter link via Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee).

Latest On Colin Kaepernick

November 21st, 2015 at 3:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

After the 49ers’ decision to place Colin Kaepernick on IR with a torn labrum in his left shoulder ignited NFL Twitter on Saturday, here is the latest on the San Francisco signal-caller.

Kaepernick looks to have sustained this left shoulder injury as far back as Week 4 against the Packers. Colin’s brother, Kyle Kaepernick, tweeted that the former 49ers starter played “4.5 games with it,” as relayed by CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora. Kaepernick’s 6.6 yards per pass attempt is the lowest of his career, and the fifth-year passer threw for fewer than 170 yards in five of his eight starts.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk corroborates Kyle Kaepernick’s tweet about the timeline of this injury, noting the 49ers quarterback suffered the ailment in Week 4 but also the fact the team didn’t disclose it since his health improved sufficiently. Once Colin Kaepernick complained of soreness following San Francisco’s Week 10 bye, the 49ers discussed actions with his representatives, leading to the IR designation. Florio expects the team to trade or release him before April 1, when the $11.9MM base salary becomes guaranteed.
Recovery time for the surgery Kaepernick is slated to undergo this week hovers around six months, Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group reports, which could affect his future with the 49ers. Kaepernick’s contract is guaranteed against injury but contains no more fully guaranteed money.
Also in Inman’s report: Kaepernick believed he sustained this lingering malady on a collision with Clay Matthews. Upon being told the injury would progress further during the bye week, Kaepernick reported to the 49ers the shoulder was “throbbing,” prompting an MRI and this latest turn of events. The torn labrum diagnosis emerged from a second opinion Thursday.
This IR stay will cost the former second-round pick $875K, which comes from $125K per game from being on the 49ers’ 46-man game-day roster, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets.
Corry also posits that Kaepernick’s uniquely crafted contract worth $114MM over six years signed in June 2014 actually will have paid him $23.975MM in new money if the 49ers move on from him before April 1 (Twitter link).

49ers Place Colin Kaepernick On IR

November 21st, 2015 at 12:59pm CST by Ben Levine

In a somewhat surprising move, the 49ers have decided to shelve Colin Kaepernick for the rest of the season.

The team announced today that they’ve placed the quarterback on the injured reserve. Quarterback Dylan Thompson has been promoted from the practice squad to take his place, tweets Aaron Wilson the Houston Chronicle.

The fifth-year quarterback who had been benched for the 49ers’ previous game due to ineffectiveness went through practice as a full participant this week, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch reports (on Twitter), and was listed on the injury report as probable with a left shoulder injury. However, after Friday’s practice, Kaepernick consulted with the 49ers’ team doctor, complaining of left shoulder pain, and the team opted for this IR move, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link).

Barrows also tweets a second opinion revealed a significant tear in Kaepernick’s left labrum, inducing a likely surgery.

NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport hears the injury will require surgery (Twitter link), something Kaepernick is requesting, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). As rumors are rampant for a Saturday afternoon, Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group’s tweeting Kaepernick’s surgery’s already scheduled for Tuesday.

Kaepernick has a $16.7MM cap hold in 2016, but the 49ers can avoid paying him the $11.9MM base salary set for next season if they cut him prior to April 1, ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan tweets.

Speculation’s already begun as to whether the signal-caller’s played his last game as a 49er, with Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller wondering if the team wants to make sure the former second-round pick is healthy before they release him in the offseason (Twitter link). As long as Kaepernick can pass his physical, the 49ers aren’t on the hook for the aforementioned salary, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.

Following two seasons where he guided the 49ers to the NFC title game, Kaepernick signed a team-friendly, six-year, $114MM deal in June 2014. The quarterback’s salaries from 2015-17 are guaranteed for injury only, increasing the 49ers’ incentive to be over-protective here, as their season is almost certain to not end in the playoffs.

No more fully guaranteed money remains on Kaepernick’s contract after this season, as NFL.com’s Albert Breer notes (via Twitter), despite the QB playing in just the second year of the deal.

Sam Robinson contributed to this report

49ers Notes: Kaepernick, Eagles, Singletary

November 13th, 2015 at 9:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the 49ers as they look ahead to the Seahawks on November 22nd:

Cam Inman of the Mercury News wonders what’s next for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. “The handwriting is on the wall,” a league source said of an imminent, offseason breakup between Kaepernick and the 49ers. It’s believed Kaepernick would be willing to restructure his contract if he’s dealt in the offseason, and that might be the likeliest scenario awaiting him, Inman writes.
So, if a breakup is inevitable, where will No. 7 land? In a separate piece, Inman runs down ten possible destinations for Kaepernick. The list of possible teams for Kaepernick starts with the Eagles, who haven’t been soaring with Sam Bradford. Kaepernick’s dual-threat skills, he argues, would be a better fit for the Philly offense. The Broncos, Browns, Jets, and Texans are among the other teams listed as possibilities.
The NFL Network took a look at ex-49ers coach Mike Singletary and revealed some interesting stories from his time in SF. CSNBayArea.com looked at a few of the highlights.

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