Jason Cole of B/R, citing 49ers’ sources, reports that GM Trent Baalke clearly would like to get rid of QB Colin Kaepernick. However, HC Chip Kelly would reportedly prefer to keep Kaepernick and continue to develop him.
Kaepernick actually got some work during Monday night’s win over the Rams in order to get him ready to play if needed later on in the year.
Cole says that this is an “ongoing conflict” with “no end in sight.”
San Francisco elected to go with Blaine Gabbert as their starter to the open the year over Kaepernick, who still wasn’t at full strength after he underwent multiple offseason surgeries.
It’s worth mentioning that this would be a big risk for San Francisco, as his 2017 salary of $14.5 million could become fully guaranteed before the 49ers could release him, so that could be part of the
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.
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