2013 season grades: Kaepernick

COLIN KAEPERNICK: C+. For the second season in a row, Kaepernick could not lead the best roster in the NFL to a Super Bowl championship. You have to wonder how much farther Alex Smith could have taken this team. There are plenty of quarterbacks who could have led this 49ers’ team to an NFC Championship loss in Seattle like Kaepernick did.

Kaepernick’s accuracy deteriorated in 2013. He did not improve his footwork or his ability to scan the field — his skill-level is junior varsity in those areas. He also was terrible in the fourth quarter and terrible in the red zone. He did not earn a Pro Bowl berth.

On the other hand, he won 14 games including the playoffs, posted an 88.7 passer rating and rushed for 827 yards. He continues to be one of the most talented physically-gifted players in the NFL. But he’ll be 27 next season. He needs to improve his pocket-passing skills this offseason while he’s young.

Comments are closed.