San Francisco is starting over with head coach Chip Kelly, along with returning quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert, and the 49ers are hoping to return to their former glory after a hard 2015 season which saw former head coach Jim Tomsula fired after just one season on the job.
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OK, it’s not like Kelly is choosing between Steve Young and Joe Montana in their primes. or even between a young, unburdened Kaepernick and a playoff-proven Alex Smith. If that’s the case, Chip Kelly isn’t going to admit it.
Kaepernick did not throw in the final two practices before Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans and was made inactive for the game. He said last week that as much throwing as he did to get ready for training camp, it was almost impossible to replicate the same intensity of practices.
The 49ers are hopeful that Kaepernick will be able to practice this week against Denver but that remains uncertain.
In another injury-related subplot, Colin Kaepernick remained idle Monday because of what was reported to be a “dead arm”.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Thad Lewis runs with the ball as Houston Texans linebacker Eric Lee (47) gives chase during the first half of an NFL preseason football game Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016, in Santa Clara, Calif. He completed just 4-of-10 passes for 63 yards and a touchdown, but the “up” was essentially his availability.
“It’s really a day-to-day thing”, Kelly said. So I think it’s just building my endurance in that area.
“From everything he’s told me, we’re both getting a fair shot”, he said Friday.
“I don’t look at it as a leg up”, Kelly said via the San Jose Mercury News.
“One of the things we try to do when we go out here in these games is we want to have some general goals”, O’Brien said. “So if Colin gets in there and does a great job when he’s in, I’m not going to say, ‘Well, he didn’t get as many snaps as Blaine'”.
It’s looking more and more like Blaine Gabbert will be the starting quarterback of the 49ers by default. He came off the field following the third-down play and was examined by trainers.
San Francisco ran off 50 offensive plays and outgained Houston 302-89 in a first half that concluded with the 49ers holding a 13-7 lead.
And they’ll nearly certainly do it – at least to start the season – with Gabbert at QB, because he’s more reliable, he’s the darling of team management, and because Kaepernick is not healthy and definitely not the favorite of team management.
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Kelly has said the 49ers are not interested in free agent Nick Foles, who played for the Eagles before spending last season with the St. Louis Rams.
