Colin Kaepernick reportedly doesn't want to play for the San Francisco 49ers next season. Instead, he wants to play for New York Jets. The report comes from the New York Daily News' Manish Mehta. According to Mehta, the Jets are intrigued by the possibility of adding Kaepernick.
Kaepernick struggled in 2015 and was benched in favor of Blaine Gabbert before being shut down for the season with a shoulder injury. The 49ers seemed destined to cut Kaepernick but the hiring of Chip Kelly seemed to indicate that Kaepernick would stay in San Francisco. Kaepernick is a strong fit for Kelly's offense and Kelly is rumored to be high on Kaepernick.
However, Mehta reports Kaepernick wants out and the Jets are at the top of list. The Jets are still in the early phases of their offseason planning and are determined to avoid another tampering situation like the one they found themselves in with Darrelle Revis in 2015. For more on the Jets' offseason, download the Chat Sports Android and iPhone app.
The 49ers would need to cut or trade Kaepernick for the Jets to acquire him. It would need to occur before April 1st, as Kaepernick's entire 11.9 million base salary becomes guaranteed. If the 49ers move him before then, they would save roughly $8.5 million in cap space.
As for the 49ers, dealing away Kaepernick could lock them into taking a QB with the No. 7 overall pick. They have Blaine Gabbert on the roster, but his long-term ability remains in question. For more on the 49ers' offseason, download the Chat Sports Android and iPhone app.
Despite leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl only a few seasons ago, Kaepernick's value has dropped in the past year. The Jets have only six draft picks, but also lack a long-term option at QB. The team wants to bring back Ryan Fitzpatrick, but he's only a short-term option. Adding Kaepernick would potentially give the Jets that long-term option.
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