Baalke also explained that even though the 49ers have given Kaepernick the permission to seek out other options by meeting with teams, the San Francisco franchise is still intent on keeping him in the roster.
Advertisement
I can tell you whoever lines up out there for us will be expected to play well and play well for a very good football team.
What we told (Kaepernick s agents) was that they were open to exploring options, Baalke said.
Fair enough, but if a healthy Kaepernick can’t beat out Gabbert, the 49ers will have a backup quarterback earning a base salary of $11.9 million next season.
They first picked up veteran Mark Sanchez while at the same kept an eye on Colin Kaepernick, the disgruntled quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers.
But right now, the 49ers are saying they don’t know.
The 49ers have been listening to trade offers for Kaepernick, but talks have stalled with the Denver Broncos over compensation and the Cleveland Browns have turned their attention to Robert Griffin III.
Griffin did play the good soldier past year when he served as Washington’s No. 3 quarterback that meant not even dressing on game days.
It’s telling that Kelly’s private conversations with Kaepernick – combined with Kelly’s public praising – haven’t persuaded the quarterback to rescind his trade request.
Kelly recalled an Eagles-49ers game in 2014 as an example of how impressed he was with Kaepernick. It allows the 49ers to continue looking for a replacement at quarterback, but still provides the freedom to just settle on Kaepernick in the end.
Anyways, it’s no longer in Kelly’s hands to make these calls anymore (at least technically), but if he had his druthers, he seems all for keeping Kaepernick with the team as long as humanly possible. Last season with Jim Tomsula as the head coach, Kaepernick was benched in favor of former first-round pick Blaine Gabbert. In this case I believe Chip Kelly would not be fired, but then what?
“I think that’s the main objective of it”.
Asked about the league voting Tuesday in favor of a new rule that would cause players to be ejected from games after two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, Kelly admitted all he could do was think about the 1992 blockbuster starring Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson. He was legitimately injured. He s in the process of rehabbing right now – he had a shoulder, had a thumb had a knee. “And when we finally can see them in person, we’ll get rolling from there”. I think the biggest thing with Kap is let’s get him healthy.
“Obviously, (new coach Chip) Kelly would love to work with him, and feels he could fit into the system that coach has, and go to work”.
“I’ve talk to Kap”.
Advertisement
Kelly said he has been in touch with Kaepernick, although the two are not permitted to talk about football issues, due to restrictions laid out in the collective bargaining agreement.
