The latest: York and Kaepernick could be headed toward a legal showdown over millions of dollars, contractual language and the severity of an injury – a torn labrum on his non-throwing shoulder – that officially ended Kaepernick’s season and surely his freaky 49ers career when he was placed on injured reserve Saturday.
Advertisement
Kaepernick, who lost his starting job to Blaine Gabbert two weeks ago, was reportedly experiencing pain in his left shoulder Friday and the decision was made to sit him down for the remainer of the season.
The 49ers promoted quarterback Dylan Thompson from the team’s practice squad to the active roster.
Because players on injured reserve do not travel with the team, Kaepernick stayed back in the Bay Area and did rehabilitation work Sunday morning, Baalke said.
Whatever the truth may be, Kaepernick is out for the remainder of what was already a disappointing 2015 National Football League season.
After a series of poor performances throughout the year, Kaepernick was benched in favor of Gabbert ahead of their Week 9 game against the Atlanta Falcons. He got sacked 28 times in eight games, which put him on pace to eclipse last year’s total of 52, the most ever in a season by a 49ers quarterback. Kaepernick’s salary becomes fully guaranteed on April 1, and the resolution could come in February at the scouting combine, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.
The question now is what Kaepernick’s future with the team holds. Even though Kaepernick suffered the labral tear October 4 and the 49ers trainers evaluated the injury, he didn’t undergo an MRI until this past Monday, having started the four games after that Packers game.
The source said team doctors originally told the quarterback the injury would heal on its own and he was not listed on any injury reports with a shoulder issue after Week 4. Gabbert has a chance over the final six games to insert his name into the conversation to enter next season as the starter.
Gabbert finished with a passer rating of 98.2 after throwing for 264 yards and the touchdown and completing 22 of 34 attempts. He’s run for 1,832 regular-season yards and 11 touchdowns, including 256 yards and one touchdown this season.
It’s possible the team will have over $60 million in salary cap space next year. That’s when Kaepernick’s contract vests if he’s healthy and on the roster.
“In my experience, I don’t believe this will hurt significantly his trade or free agent value”, Chao said.
Advertisement
Kaepnerick was 35-21-1 as a starter with the 49ers but just 1-5 against Seattle as a starter and 1-6 overall if you include the NFC Championship game in 2014.
