49ers & Colin Kaepernick Working On Restructured Deal To Alliviate Inj. Guarantee Concerns

Update:

Matt Maiocco reports that while an agreement on a restructured contract between the 49ers and Colin Kaepernick is still a possibility, he’s hearing that it’s is “far from a done deal.”

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Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the 49ers and QB Colin Kaepernick are closing in on a restructured contract that would alleviate concerns regarding the injury guarantees included in his current deal.

• Rapoport adds that the new deal could be in place Friday would include giving Kaepernick an opportunity to void the contract after this season.
• According to Rapoport, Kaepernick’s new deal eliminates guarantees in 2017 and cuts off the final three years of the contract.

This could be viewed as an indication that San Francisco may be considering making a switch at quarterback and going with Kaepernick.

Jason Cole of B/R reported earlier in the day that the 49ers could finally be making a change at quarterback after another disappointing outing from Blaine Gabbert on Thursday.

Two sources tell Cole that they believe Kaepernick will finally get a chance to start in next week’s game against the Bills. Cole’s sources added that HC Chip Kelly appears to now be ready to make a change at quarterback, even though he previously said that Kaepernick wasn’t physically ready to play.

Kaepernick, 28, is in the third year of his seven-year, $126.97 million contract that included $61 million guaranteed and stands to make a base salary of $11.9 million for the 2016 season.

While those numbers are impressive on their own, the contract is essentially a pay-as-you-go agreement that includes ways for San Francisco to walk away with limited repercussions, as long as Kaepernick is healthy.

In 2015, Kaepernick threw for 1,615 yards while completing 59.3 percent of his passes to go along with six touchdowns and five interceptions over the course of eight games. He also added 228 yards rushing and a touchdown.