Coach Chip Kelly referred to Gabbert’s performance in the preseason opener against Houston as “up and down” and that is a fair way to sum up how this entire training camp has gone for him. “He was going to be in a battle for the starting job”, John Elway told USA Today earlier this week.
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Our algorithms now afford the third receiver spot to Patton, who we project for 21 catches for 265 yards and 0.72 touchdowns this year. It’s undoubtedly keeping Kaepernick from being an efficient passer, at least one good enough to beat out Blaine Gabbert for the starting spot.
“Joining the 49ers meant finally joining up with offensive coordinator Curtis Modkins, who said: “I recruited him when I was at Georgia Tech and he broke my heart back then and went to Florida State”. His best pass was his last when he threw a strike to tight end Vance McDonald.
Kaepernick has not thrown in team drills since last Wednesday leading up to the Texans game.
Kaepernick, who’s been sidelined with what the team called “arm fatigue”, suited up for Wednesday’s practice and scrimmage with the Denver Broncos, but didn’t take part in any passing drills.
“Hindsight is always 20-20”, Baalke said, according to CSN Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco. Even if he can’t play himself into the job yet, there’s still a chance Gabbert could play himself out of it.
Baalke expects Kaepernick to throw some Thursday when the 49ers again visit the Broncos facility, though it’s unknown whether that will be against the Broncos defense or merely on a side field again.
With Colin Kaepernick dealing with tightness in his throwing shoulder and Thaddeus Lewis out for the season with a knee injury, the 49ers signed free agent quarterback Christian Ponder on Tuesday. This seems to be a simple and obvious fact of football and the NFL. There have been a number of different interpretations of what Kaepernick is dealing with, but Baalke would stop short of calling it a “dead arm”. Kaepernick has been held out the past week because of a “tired arm”. Rather than push it any further, just back it down and give him a little time to rest it.
As for Saturday’s preseason game against the Broncos, it remains to be seen whether Kaepernick will be able to play – though it’s hard to imagine he would if he doesn’t start throwing more in practice on Thursday. “To say it’s dead, I wouldn’t make that assumption”.
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“We’re just trying to get him healthy and see if we can get him ready for this week against Denver”. “But we’re going to be very smart in how that’s done and he’s not ready right now. They’re given every opportunity to earn that role”.
