Out of football since the 2016 season, Colin Kaepernick continues to pursue a comeback. The exiled quarterback wrote a letter to Jets GM Joe Douglas asking for an opportunity to join the team’s practice squad. The letter, as shared by rapper J. Cole (Instagram link), lays out a number of reasons Kaepernick could assist the Jets while making it clear he would be a Zach Wilson contingency plan. Kaepernick cites his ability to offer the Jets’ defense a look at a mobile QB, referencing the advantage that could provide the unit given the dual-threat starters on the team’s schedule. The letter also includes Jim Harbaugh, John Harbaugh and Mark Davis being listed as references. While it is unusual to see a document like this surface, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk confirms it is authentic.
Davis’ team gave the 35-year-old QB a workout last summer, and the former 49ers starter questioned the Raiders preferring Jarrett Stidham and Nick Mullens — the team’s backups at the time — to him. Even though Kaepernick indicated he still trains five days a week for a potential comeback, the book is almost definitely closed for his return to the NFL. He would have profiled as a more realistic option during the late 2010s, but since the 2019 workout snafu in Atlanta, connections to teams have been sparse. Shortly after Aaron Rodgers‘ injury, Kaepernick’s agent contacted the Jets, and a subsequent report indicated no interest existed on the team’s part. The Jets have since signed Trevor Siemian to their P-squad.
Here is the latest from the QB landscape:
- Siemian could dress for the Jets as an emergency third QB, provided he is elevated to the active roster ahead of Saturday’s deadline, but Robert Saleh confirmed (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) the journeyman passer will not be active for Week 4. Wilson and Tim Boyle will be the team’s only active QBs for a third straight game. Siemian has made 30 career starts, including one for the Jets (Week 2, 2019), but could not beat out Jake Browning for the Bengals’ backup job during training camp.
- It took the Ravens nearly 2 1/2 years to extend Lamar Jackson, but when the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts contract surfaced, GM Eric DeCosta made an earnest effort to finish the process. “We had just signed Odell [Beckham Jr.] and the Hurts deal came out. I thought to myself, ‘Why not try again?’” DeCosta said, via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec (subscription required). “We put some stuff together on paper. There were people who probably weren’t optimistic about our chances. How many players request a trade and then do a long-term deal with their team like a month later? It doesn’t happen very often, but I was optimistic, partly because I know Lamar. I had been with him in Florida. I know what he’s made of and I know what’s important to him.” DeCosta said he had not spoken to Jackson much this offseason, one in which the former MVP requested a trade. The Hurts deal continued to paint the Deshaun Watson fully guaranteed accord as an outlier. Long connected to seeking a fully guaranteed contract, Jackson accepted the Ravens’ offer and signed a five-year, $260MM deal — one that helped shape Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow‘s respective negotiations.
- Eric Bieniemy going from Patrick Mahomes to a Commanders team planning to go with Sam Howell did not represent a deal-breaker for the five-year Chiefs OC. The new NFC East play-caller joined the Commanders in placing a second-round grade on the North Carolina prospect last year, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. A one-time first-round-level prospect prior to a statistical regression as a junior, Howell is off to an uneven start. QBR places the 2022 fifth-rounder 25th through three games, though he has shown some promise early in his QB1 run.
kap wrote a letter ya right it was prob written by the lawyers running blm
In Short…
Kap wrote a letter asking for an opportunity to be signed by a team, then Kap allowed that letter to go public.
What GM or Coach wants this kind of headache? They are already trying to address a QB, salary cap, and locker room issue. Why bring a third party entertainer giving updates on social media into the mix?
Siemian could not be the emergency 3rd QB as a PS elevation. He would have to be signed to the 53-man roster for that.
Yeah, the “change” that was made to that rule really didn’t change anything at all in terms of strategy for teams. The only way that it would have made a difference is if that emergency quarterback became, in essence, a 54th player that could only be used for that purpose. I think most player forget that even though a team has 53 players on a roster (plus two that come up from the practice squad for a week), only 48 can dress and be available for a game (that’s where the “inactive” and “healthy scratch” comes in). I mean, the rule change helps on game day, but only if you have an extra quarterback on your roster already. Most teams aren’t holding a spot for an emergency player.
Given the expansion of the playoffs and the extra regular season game, it’s hard to see why the NFL won’t allow rosters to be expanded in this era.
Kaepernick made his bed. He’s made much more money being an activist than he ever would’ve playing
I don’t know if Florio counts as an unbiased source regarding anything Kaepernick related. To be fair, the same could be said for any of Florio’s other personal causes…
Depending on how patriotic the jets ownership and management is, he’ll never be with the jets. If you disrespect the American flag and America by not standing up for the national anathema you deserve to be black listed forever. He made his bed now he has to lay in crap like he’s been since 2016
Why’s the list gotta be black
Woody is buddies with Trump. There’s no way in hell the Jets would ever sign him (even if you overlook the fact he hasn’t played in 7 years)
Was “national anathema” a Freudian slip?
I’ve never seen a former “slave” (nfl player, according to map) so eager to head back to the “plantation” (NFL) and to the “slave masters (owners)… very odd. Someone should do a welfare check on him
Let me get at that cotton for 20m a year massa
I can’t wait to go on here in 2033 and still see Kaepernick rumors. “While he hasn’t played in almost 20 years, Colin said he was in game shape and at 45 could be a good veteran voice in the locker room.”
Kaepernick should write a letter apologizing to his adoptive parents.
out of ball 9 seasons…just let it go man!