In the past 12 months, no athlete has been as polarizing as Colin Kaepernick. It was just about 1 year ago where Colin Kaepernick chose not to stand for the national anthem. This sparked an outrage among many NFL "fans". Whether or not you watched football on Sundays (as if it was some kind of religion), everybody now knew who this kid who played college football at Nevada was.
Fast forward 1 year, and we are here today, still debating the Kaepernick decision to kneel. Some people see this as the ultimate disrespect, and decided to boycott the NFL. Some see Kaepernick as a type of martyr, seeing as it doesnt appear he will find gainful NFL employment any time soon. Others just think his message is noble, but that he went about it the wrong way. Regardless of the side you're on, you still have an opinion.
This post will try to keep opinion of the situation out of the discussion, and simply look at the places where Kaepernick would fit in and why. To do this, we need to find teams who have a system in place that would allow for Kaepernick to use his legs as well as his arm. History has shown that when you make him one dimensional, he appears to be as useless as a football pump in the Patriots equipment room. I have pinpointed 5 teams where I think he could have a chance to supplant the starter, and take the team to the next level.
First place we will start is Jacksonville. The Jaguars drafted Blake Bortles after a stellar career throwing the ball at UCF. As a pro, he looked decent in his first year, but has simply regressed since then. It has gotten to the point that many fans want the Jaguars to tank, despite having a great roster of players. This is where Kaepernick could step in and do the best. I believe he could take the starting job over by week 6. His offensive line in Jacksonville is good enough to allow him to run, especially off tackle and around the edge, but can also protect him long enough to get the ball to one of the Allens. I do not see Blake Bortles progressing this season, as he has not shown that he is capable of doing so. Kaep gets the starting job by week 6.
The next place where Kaepernick could take the reins is Minnesota. When Teddy Bridgewater went down with an injury on a freak accident last off season, the Vikings paid top shelf price for the bathtub gin that is Sam Bradford. The beauty of this situation for Kaep, is that the offense is already built for a mobile quarterback. He fits the system pretty much perfectly. They also have a good defense that will keep them in games in the event he struggles (which he will, almost all QB's do). The problem with this spot is, when Bridgewater comes back (if he does), then he will compete for the starting spot, and win it.
The third team is the Cleveland Browns. There is currently no clear cut QB on this team. There is Cody Kesseler, who tried his best, Brock Osweiler, and a rookie Deshone Kizer. Kaepernick could come in and have instant success (not necessarily winning games, but would be the starter). The team is coming off of one of the worst seasons in NFL history, and can only go up from there. With Kaepernick, this team goes from a 1 win team to at least 5 wins. A 4 win change is certainly worth the look.
The fourth team would be the New York Jets. The Jets, like the Browns are an absolute mess. There is no reason why he couldn't step into this offense and win the job from McCown. Bryce Petty is clearly the best QB on the team, but for some reason, they are just tossing him aside like a piece of garbage. This leaves Hackenberg, who barely gets to see the field let alone step on it, and the teacher, Professor Josh McCown. Colin Kaepernick could walk in, and start immediately, talent wise.
The fifth option, is the least desirable. That would be accepting a backup role for a bit. The Los Angeles Chargers still have Phillip Rivers, but he is getting old. He probably has 2 years left before he begins calling games for ESPN 19. If he would be willing to be patient, this team could be his after Rivers leaves, for about 5 years. I doubt he would want to do that, but LA is a great place for him. It would allow him to keep his lifestyle (hipsterish, vegan, free spirit) as LA is very similar to San Francisco in that way.
BONUS: Hamilton Tigercats. For those of you who do not know them, they are part of the Canadian Football League, which is a highly respected league, where a lot of good, and some great NFL players have come from. This location and league might not be the most prestigious, but with an 0-5 record, they can certainly use a change up there. With his talent, he could walk into the CFL and be an impact player the way Jimmer Fredette is lighting up the Chinese league in basketball.
Wherever he ends up, football or not, he will always be remembered. Time will tell how his story will end. But tonight, this story ends, as we patiently (or not so much) wait to see what happens with Colin Kaepernick.
Until next time,
Dan Snyder
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