Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News is reporting thatย 49ers QBย Colin Kaepernick wants out of San Francisco after a disappointingย 2015 season and would prefer to sign with the Jets.
According to Mehta, theย Jets are aware of Kaepernick’s desire to play for them and are “intrigued” by the idea. However, Mehta mentions that they’re still in the early stages of their offseason planning and evaluation.
Mehta adds that it’sย unclear what the 49ers’ย asking price would be in a trade involvingย Kaepernick, but he would likely have to sign for less than his current salary in the event he was released.
Both Jets GMย Mike Maccagnan and HCย Todd Bowles have said that they would like toย re-sign impending free agent Ryan Fitzpatrick.ย Mehta mentionsย that the two sides are expected toย discuss an extension in the coming weeks, but adds thatย nothing is guaranteed.
Kaepernick’s season came to an end after he underwentย shoulder, knee and thumb surgery in November. Mehta reports thatย Kaepernick isย rehabbing with his own trainers in Colorado rather than at the team facility.
San Francisco has said that they would like to see if new HC Chip Kelly canย get Kaepernick turned around.
Kaepernick, 28, will be enteringย the thirdย year of his seven-year, $126.97 million contract that included $61 million guaranteed and stands to make a base salary of $13.9 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.
According to OverTheCap.com, releasing Kaepernick would free up $8,493,493 in available cap space and create $7,397,260 in dead money.
Inย 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.
We’ll have more regarding Kaepernick’s future with the 49ers as the news is available.
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