Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the 49ers will explore trade options for QB Colin Kaepernick during the offseason.
According to Rapoport, at least three teams inquired about Kaepernick at this year’s trade deadline, but no one could take on his salary midseason. On top of that, indications are that Kaepernick would welcome a fresh start somewhere else.
According to Rapoport, it’s very likely that Kaepernick has played his final down for the 49ers.
San Francisco will need to decide what they plan on doing with Kaepernick by April 1 of next year when $14 million of his deal will become guaranteed. This is still ample time to consider all of their available options.
Yesterday, the 49ers surprisingly placed Kaepernick on season-ending injured reserve with a shoulder injury. He’s expected to undergo surgery early next week and miss between four to six months.
Kaepernick, 27, is in the second year of his seven-year, $126.97 million contract that included $61 million guaranteed and stands to make a base salary of $12.4 million for the 2015 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.
In eight games this season, Kaepernick has thrown for 1,615 yards while completing 59.3 percent of his passes to go along with six touchdowns and five interceptions. He also added 228 yards rushing and a touchdown.
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Sincerely doubt Kaep will be traded unless he were to agree to renegotiate his contract into a team friendly amount. Even then the 49ers dealing from a very weak position would be exceedingly lucky to acquire better than a 6th round draft choice.