Broncos Won’t Consider Colin Kaepernick

The Broncos may be on the lookout for quarterback help, but they won’t be calling Colin Kaepernick. The polarizing athlete will not be in consideration for Denver, GM John Elway told reporters on Thursday (Twitter link via Lindsay Jones of USA Today). 

He had a chance to be here, he passed on it,” Elway said.

The Broncos and 49ers discussed a possible Kaepernick trade at length in 2016, but the deal was nixed when the QB refused to trim $5MM from his ’16 cap number and take additional pay cuts in future seasons. Kaepernick lost the camp competition to Blaine Gabbert, but regained his starting job in Week 6. After the Niners went 2-14 with Kaepernick starting for eleven of those games, the two sides parted ways in the offseason.

The Broncos, meanwhile, went 9-7 that year as they failed to land a quarterback who could fill Peyton Manning‘s shoes. It’s debatable as to whether they would have been better off with Kaepernick under center (Kaepernick personally largely played well that year), but what we do know is that he will not be joining the Broncos this year.

Denver is in a better place overall after signing Case Keenum, but there’s still much to be figured out when it comes to the backup quarterback situation. For now, former Mr. Irrelevant Chad Kelly is slated to be the team’s No. 2 QB with Paxton Lynch in line for the No. 3 job.

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