The NFL has been known to place a premium on quarterbacks though one popular (and controversial) name remains unsigned. He is none other than Colin Kaepernick who has yet to get a new lease on his NFL life.
Most are aware how Kaepernick made a name for himself for perhaps all the wrong reasons. That included kneeling during the national anthem to protest social injustice and his inadvertent take on Cuban monarch Fidel Castro. The 49ers did try to keep him but Kaepernick chose to opt out of his contract and couldn't find a new home.
With NFL training camp underway, the 29-year-old has found himself in an odd predicament.
Is he purposely being left out for his actions or are teams simply leaning on other players to save some cash and develop younger ones for the future? Somehow most of it doesn’t make sense.
Kaepernick a misfit?
Shying away from the alleged blackballing speculation on Kaepernick, his style of play could be one reason. The 49ers are going in a different direction while others have opted to apply a different approach.
One Waterloo in Kaepernick’s arsenal is his ability to complete a pass. Despite having a good touchdown/interception ratio, he is seen as an ineffective passer. Add up the injuries that have hampered him the past few years and you get a struggling star who is looking for a chance at redemption.
The good news is that he is only 29 and can still improve. But placed beside the rookies and neophytes, some teams would rather invest more time on the newbies than someone who carries distractions. But would that be a fair reason to shun away someone who can be effective when given the chance?
Kaepernick not even good enough as backup
Most were expecting Kaepernick to end up landing a backup role at the least. Coming off a so-so season, the 29-year-old needs to regroup and discover his old self, or at least the good part of it.
With most teams already signing the starting quarterback of their choice, the best option for Kaepernick is to settle for a backup role.
Already proven, that should have been an easy route to follow – assuming he doesn’t ask for the stars.
Unfortunately, even old timers and third-string material quarterbacks have beaten Kaepernick to the punch. Players like Dan Orlovsky managed to sign (with the Los Angeles Rams) though his deal seems more like a mentorship-based tactic than someone who gets to play on the field.
Speaking of players, Kaepernick would have been a better option had the Rams been looking for a backup or someone who could play. But the point here is why wasn’t he even offered the position? Is there blackballing really going on?
Some may say that Kaepernick is simply getting too much attention with teams passing on him.
But there are apprehensions from NFL teams ranging from distractions to him being a good fit. Money is unlikely the problem so suggesting the players union get involved will bring in debatable takes.
The native of Milwaukee is slowly being forgotten and all he can do is wait for an opportunity. If nothing materializes, he faces an uncertain NFL future where teams cannot be told on who they should and should not take in.
