There’s discord between 49ers general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Chip Kelly regarding the future of quarterback Colin Kaepernick, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Baalke wants to get rid of Kaepernick, while Kelly would like to keep the 28-year-old and help him develop into a quality option again.
Kelly drew career-best performances from signal-callers Nick Foles, Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez during his tenure as Philadelphia’s head coach from 2013-15. Along the way, however, Kelly was unable to coexist with the Eagles’ top executive, Howie Roseman, so his disagreement with Baalke over the 49ers’ most famous player is particularly notable.
Kaepernick, who’s making a guaranteed $11.9MM this year as part of a deal that runs through 2020, nearly exited San Francisco during the offseason. However, the Baalke-led 49ers and the team most interested in Kaepernick – the Broncos – weren’t able to agree to a trade. That left Kaepernick to compete with Blaine Gabbert for the 49ers’ starting job, but the latter won the role over the summer.
The majority of recent Kaepernick-related headlines haven’t focused on his status as the 49ers’ backup, though; instead, the decision he made during the preseason to no longer stand for the pregame national anthem has generated plenty of discussion, both in support of and in opposition to Kaepernick, and has led other NFLers to follow his lead. Kaepernick, who’s protesting against racial inequality in America, has drawn ire from other teams’ front office executives because of his choice, which could affect his value.
“I don’t want him anywhere near my team,” one front office executive told Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report last month. “He’s a traitor.”
That was a common sentiment among execs Freeman spoke to, as one estimated that upward of 90 percent of colleagues feel similarly.
On the field, Kaepernick has struggled over the past couple seasons after bursting on the scene as a second-year player in 2012. That season, the 2011 second-round pick from Nevada took over the 49ers’ starting QB job from Alex Smith late in the campaign and helped lead the club to a Super Bowl berth. In 2013, his first full year as a starter, the dual threat impressed again en route to a 12-win season that ended with a 23-20 defeat to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seahawks in the NFC title game.
Kaepernick has fallen off since since his halycon days, but given Gabbert’s own lack of NFL success – not to mention his propensity to run, which could lead to injuries – it’s possible the former could once again take the reins as the 49ers’ starter this season. Kaepernick got into the 49ers’ 28-0 win over the Rams on Monday, misfiring on one fourth-quarter pass.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Whatever Cole reports is false. I’m not buying this report.
Who cares nobody like Kaepernick
Nobody likes Kaepernick? Last time I checked he had the highest selling jersey in the NFL over the last 3 weeks. Sounds to me like tons of people like him. I, however, am not one of those people. Dude cannot play quarterback anymore, get over it
They are buying his jersey to burn and use as doormats
Yep. Seen that for myself.
If that’s true, those people are pretty much fools, because the money they are spending on his jersey is going in no small part to him – and he’s donating it to his cause.
Propaganda and who cares. He’s a traitor. I don’t buy his cause for a minute. I think he made it up after recieving backlash. Just don’t like it trust him
Lol
You’re the traitor he is using his platform as a stepping stone to help better the balance of society, something that your obviously against. Smh its comments like these that makes his point. If your gonna comment about anything on Kaep make it about his skill set or his abilities not his beliefs because that is his right and his point should not be ignored or portrayed as something else.
Kaep is the one that made it about his beliefs. Good thing so many people wear body armor to work to ensure a washed out millionaire can have the right to complain about them.
you are funny a traitor, y’all kill me with that stuff. Can’t stand when ppl don’t agree with your mindset
I mean you already missed the boat on saving money by cutting him. Just keep him long enough to see if Chip really can sort his game out or not.
Why is Bleach Report being used as a reliable source so much on this site? I like this site but BR is a bit of a joke. I made a comment on an article written on the Mariners that had some facts wrong and the writer responded, we had a dialogue and I found out he was a 13 yo kid who wrote mostly about wrestling but also about baseball when they assigned it to him. Not sure if it has changed in the last few years but I can’t take the place serious after that. I guess since it is based in SF and has a 49er bias it might be a good place to get fortywhiner info though.
Bleacher Report does include fan-written articles, but it also employs established reporters (Cole and Freeman, for example). We only cite the latter types.
And Cole is a joke. He makes stuff up.
My Brother wrote Seahawk articles for them when Harbaugh was still there. He showed me what he wrote and what they printed not the same. That is why I can’t take anything they print serious especially if it is SF or Seattle related definite bias. They would change the artwork he did to make the Seattle stuff look stupid too. Lastly every article was built to get clicks. Not sure if it is still like that but they made almost everything into lists so they could artificially jump up the click rate by making you click through the lists. I love your site just never will have respect for them.
Bryne, can you, or Cole, offer any proof that unnamed sources are legitimate? Why should anyone believe an unnamed source. I could claim I spoke to an unnamed 49er’s source, too.
So you’re complaining about a 13 year old kid writing an article but then go on to say a thing a 13 year would say by calling them the “fortywhiners.”
Sure fire way to find out of something is true or not? If Cole reported it you can file it under false. Like when he reported Willis was coming back from retirement. Dude flat makes sh*t up.
He’s a moron….
He can’t play. Chip will ruin this team like he did the Eagles with his loyalty to Riley Cooper. Divided the team then and will again
I like the guy ✊
✊
What a surprise! Another white boy bashing something he has zero knowledge or understanding of! Mr. King is the epitome of what is wrong in this country!
These “un-named” execs and their “leaks” have caused more destruction to the team over the past 3 years than Kapernick open and public stance ever will. The brass doesn’t know the difference between a traitor and their own rotten actions.
He’s a traitor because he doesn’t stand for a song? Can everybody take a step back and realize this is a huge overblown issue. And it’s even for a legit cause. There is way more important things to worry about than a mediocre quarterback doing a peaceful protest. He’s a traitor, lol good one, my god some people are almost too patriotic
Not “almost”.
The Kap’nick act is a joke. In fear of being released or cut he came up with the boycott shtick so he could claim he was cut due to race. Be grateful u live in a country that gives u the opportunity to play bad football and get paid for it.
American Hero, bottom line
lol
Who write these Lies? Kaepernick didn’t misfire on any pass because he handed it off 3 straight plays to Davis. Ppl are so full of
I think if we keep things strictly Football, Kaep has been garbage for the last year and a half or longer. He lost confidence when our o line sucked and he kept getting hit. When he wasn’t getting sacked he was at least being hit while throwing or close to it and it rattled him. Between that and people telling him he needs to be a pocket passer and he needed to work on touch passes it really messed with his head. If anyone can turn him around Chip Kelley can. I don’t think he’s ready for the starting job right now but give him some more time and he should be able to do a better job then Gabbert especially with that good of a O Line. People need to put their hatred aside for the things that are going on that have nothing to do with Football. I don’t agree with what he is doing but I do know he is a very athletic human being with a lot of upside still.
I think this is the smartest take here – Kaep has shown in the past he has the ability to be a good QB, and he would be a good fit for Chip’s offense. I think if Gabbert starts to struggle, it might be worth throwing him back out there to see if he can recapture that 2012-13 magic. Not like the 49ers are expected to do much this year, anyways, so why not see if there’s anything left there?
Hes a joke him and his pig socks, and for the protest its all a joke too! Tired of hearing about white cops shooting black men it just doesn’t happen to black men white men get shot just as much! No mater what color you are if your going to pull a gun on a officer then you deserve to get shot! It’s called reverse racism and it needs to stop! #WEALLNEEDTOSTANDTOGETHERNOTDIVIDED
Tired of hearing about Kaep.
He should be cut. He needs attention and will do anything to get it. Notice this “protest” didn’t start until after it was clear Gabbert was starting. Colin is a spoiled brat, who along with Harbaugh screwed up what was the best team in the NFL. I say good riddance, don’t let the door hit you in the you know what on your way out.
Also, love the comments trying to bash “white people” for not understanding. First of all, that’s a racist point of view. Second of all, white people are discriminated against just as much as any other people, we just don’t use it as an excuse for our behavior. All racist laws in America benefit non-whites. Facts hurt.