Is the NFL blackballing Colin Kaepernick because he is a vegan?

Lots of theories circulating why NFL teams haven’t signed former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. One theory is Kaepernick offended owners by kneeling during the National Anthem last season. Another theory is teams don’t like Kaepernick’s vegan diet.

Press Democrat guest columnist C.W. Nevius has a theory. Former 49ers head coach Chip Kelly, who coached Kaepernick last season, has no theory. Kelly says he doesn’t know why Kaepernick remains unsigned.

Let me end the mystery. Kaepernick is unemployed for the same reason Kelly doesn’t have a job any longer as a head coach. They stink.

This article has 404 Comments

  1. Grant
    ” Kaepernick is unemployed for the same reason Kelly doesn’t have a job any longer as a head coach. They stink.”

    ** LMAO: Don’t sugar coat it, tell us how you really feel?

      1. Seb:
        ** Just curious, can you explain WHY you think it’s about you? WHY you think Grant’s trolling you?

        1. GEEP, maybe you have not noticed, but whenever some one writes a screed about Kaep, I will jump to his defense with long dissertations that everyone who is a regular knows by heart.

          Since I consider myself one of the sole defenders of Kaep on this site, Grant, by writing that he stinks, is just inviting me to counter his statement. That is a classic definition of trolling for hits.

          Grant certainly is not trolling Prime. If he wanted to do that, he would have written about the possibility that Kaep, being shunned by many teams, would have to return to the Niners.

          Get ready, I plan to wax poetic about how wrong Grant is.

          1. Your obsession with Kaepernick doesn’t make every comment or article about Kaepernick about you. Yet you act like it.

            1. Grant invites posters to agree with him, or argue with him. Do you think he meant for me to agree with him when he writes that Kaep stinks?

              1. Cassie, maybe you should stop obsessing about me. Grant wants blog hits. I plan to accommodate him.

                First of all, I sure am glad Baalke was fired, and hope he is happy on Lake Wobegon selling bait. I am positive that Kaep would not have left open the possibility of his return to the team if Baalke were still there, so Lynch may still re sign Kaep, to the utter consternation of his detractors.

                Despite what Grant says, I will just recall the KC/Texans playoff game. Hoyer, despite having an elite defense, solely gave the game away with his putrid play. It sure looked like Hoyer was throwing like the defenders were the intended receivers.

                Of course, many will recall the Cards game when Kaep threw the ball poorly, but he had a defender in his face, and his DJ coach told him that the pass to the flat was always open and that he should throw it at 85% velocity. Cards players said they knew where the ball was going so they could jump the routes, so the coaching was totally lacking from the preparation to the execution.

                Still, last season, even though he had just recovered from 3 surgeries. Kaep played decently with a 16-4 TD to INT ratio and a 90.7 QBR. Hoyer had a 65.2 QBR.

          2. Seb…….

            I’m not funning you, I’m not being sarcastic, I don’t hate you, or anyone else for that matter……………
            but i’m telling you honestly–it is not all about you. Grant has an obligation to tell it like he sees it, without prejudice.
            That’s how he sees it.

            1. Saw, you have been a gadfly, but pretty harmless.

              Grant does tend to tell it like it is. However, he went from ripping the signing of older FAs to predicting the playoffs. Guess he is covering all his bases.

              Talking about a vegan diet, then declaring Kaep stinks, is pretty formulaic, and just a common ploy to generate blog hits. I certainly will not viciously and personally attack him for his point of view, like some do to me, but will respectfully point out his inconsistencies and flaws in his argument.

          3. Nope. Grant can’t even mention a former 6 year player, starting quarterback at that, without Seb thinking it’s directly pointed at him.

            So I’ll put on the Seb hat. I was supporter of Alex Smith. I thought he was a pretty good fit for a defensive/run first/special teams-centric team (as was Kaep). Did I think every time Grant mentioned him he was challenging me? Gee, I missed out on that ego-stroking.

            1. Maybe Grant could post a dozen or so ink blots and we could react to them. Could be illuminating.

          4. Wax on but know your defenses of Kaepernick are tedious and few agree with them. For everyone else, ask yourself this: If Russell Wilson kneeled during the national anthem last year and was a vegan, do you think, as a free agent, he’d be sitting on the sidelines without a team? Right.

            1. No one would have even noticed since Russel Wilson always looks like he is kneeling even when he is on his tippy toes.

    1. Not much happening on your blog or when you’re out of things to write just invoke Kaepernick’s name and magically people click and debate. Guess he’s still good for something.

      1. Naw, there is the draft coming up, so mocks will be forthcoming.

        Wonder who will trade up and who will trade down.

        Can Lynch leverage the number 2 pick and trade back multiple times to garner second and third round picks?

    1. Yes! Brady is during the off season and during the season he eats lean meat and chicken for the protein for muscle mass. At least that is what I read elsewhere.

      1. Brady’s not a Vegan during the season.

        Also, not all Vegans can manage their diet properly. Some carb-up and get fat. Others don’t’ get enough protein and turn into rails, like Kaepernick. Now that’s not true for all vegans. But you can’t just assume someone who went Vegan knows what they’re doing and will do it right.

        If I remember right, it took Kaepernick all of training camp and the first part of the season gain something like 10 lbs to hit 215. As far as I know, he never hit his 230lb-235lb playing weight.

        1. Maybe you need to be better informed. Kaep is finally at his playing weight, so he is not too skinny. He also was recovering from 3 surgeries, so that may have been a factor in his slow recovery of his strength and weight.

          Assuming Kaep does not consult a nutritionist is just lazy thinking. I am sure he is eating correctly, which also means eating the proper amounts of proteins.

          Just because he is vegan does not mean he is anorexic, or cannot gain weight.

          1. Speaking of better informed. Maybe you should acknowledge Kap is widely inconsistent(I’m being nice) and doesn’t have the talent to outweigh his drama.

            1. Gosh, I have been saying many times that Kaep can improve, and have bemoaned his second half play when it sure looked like the Niners made no adjustments, Kaep included.

              I will emphatically say that I believe JH when he says that Kaep is extremely talented, and can make all the throws. In fact, I have seen Kaep make jaw dropping throws that most QBs would never even dream of trying.

  2. If CK were the only unsigned quarterback…..but he’s not. Sweet Cheeks Cutler is still out there too; for now.
    Blackballed for politics? unlikely in a league that might draft Mixon.
    Blackballed for diet? Geez, that’s profoundly stupid, so I hope not. Especially since TomTerrific (arguably the best) subscribes to a highly unusual exclusionary diet and an outside the box exercise regimen. GMs should be demanding it, LOL. Kidding.
    I’m not sure about the commitment issue; not enough evidence for me either way, but my guess is that’s bogus.

    My guess is it’s more system fit and 3rd down inefficiency and perhaps Starter expectations.

    1. Bro Tuna, most aptly expressed. Kelly is out of work in the NFL because he couldn’t think himself out of his own self-imposed limitations. He still wants to prove that what he did in college will magically work in The Big League. Kaeperdud is out of work precisely because he is a dud on the field, he doesn’t deliver in crunch time and can’t consistently make the primary plays the Big League QB’s must make. For example, being efficient and converting your red-zone opportunities into TDs and, oh yeah, lest we rationalize it, moving those all important 3rd down chains. No need to over-elaborate. Kaep is self-made mediocre QB who wants starter money to keep experimenting with his sandlot style of play. Basically all the NFL has done is to say, No Thanks, we have seen enough.

      1. Andes

        O.K….I was never a fan of kaepernicks…I never thought he was worth a piddlers damn…too many flaws in too many places….and too many chances to prove that he could do what he really couldn’t do….so, Grant…what the devil does that have to do with Kelly that makes HIM ‘stink’ ? Could it be perhaps that he was hired late and didn’t have the time to formulate an effective coaching staff (all the good ones were hired ) ? Could it be that he didn’t have the luxury of conducting his own FA thereby ending up with one (1) Free agent ? Maybe it was the fact that he had to go without his own draft (Baalke’s choice) ?

        I believe that neither Bill Walsh nor Bill Belichek nor Vince Lombardi could have faced those odds and been successful. One season of that would have been enough to drive most coaches into permanent retirement. But, as most have forgotten, ‘Chip’began his “professional” career by taking over Andy Reid’s 4-12 Eagles, and coached them to consecutive 10-6 records before getting fired for cleaning out the rats nest that was the Eagles. Don’t try to give me the ‘college system’ krapp….After coaching for owners the like of Jeffrey Lurie and Jed “he’ll be here for many years” York…I believe that ‘Çhip’ Kelly will have at least another HC job, and you’ll see what he can do with opportunity….and NO…he doesn’t stink…

        1. “Could it be perhaps that he was hired late and didn’t have the time to formulate an effective coaching staff (all the good ones were hired ) ?”

          Kelly was hired on Jan. 14th. Dirk Koetter and Ben Mcadoo were hired on Jan. 15th. Doug Pederson was hired on Jan.18th.

          “Could it be that he didn’t have the luxury of conducting his own FA thereby ending up with one (1) Free agent ? Maybe it was the fact that he had to go without his own draft (Baalke’s choice) ?”

          He had that in Philly and it was a disaster.

          “Chip’began his “professional” career by taking over Andy Reid’s 4-12 Eagles, and coached them to consecutive 10-6 records before getting fired for cleaning out the rats nest that was the Eagles.”

          Yes, he had success with the team that Reid built, he then dismantled it and got fired.

          The college system crap is legitimate. Much like the zone read, Kelly’s offense can’t succeed as a base offense.

          First it was Kelly wanted to be a HC. Then it was Kelly wanted to be an OC. Now it’s Kelly wants a job with FOX.

          1. #80

            How many assistant coaches did Koetteer, MacAdoo, and Pederson have to replace ? Koetter only changed his system coaches, and MacAdoo even kept his…Howie Roseman had his coaches picked before ‘Chip’ was fired…and following Tomsula, Baalke was only trying to keep afloat by taking charge. As for dismantling Reids team and getting fired…why did Reid get fired if he had such a ‘hot’ team ? Hide and watch…’Chip’s not done in the NFL

            1. Shanahan got a very late start and assembled a quality staff, including himself as OC.

              We’ll see if Kelly gets another pro job. He got fired in back to back seasons. His stock is very low right now.

            2. Koetter hired the entire defensive staff. He called his own plays, just like Kelly. McAdoo hired 8 new people to his staff.

              Pederson hired 17 people and only retained 7 from Kelly’s staff.

              Kelly retained 4 people and brought 4 from the Eagles. So, if my math is right Kelly hired 16 new people.

              1. A fierce debate here but I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. I am confident that Kelly will return and prove to be more competent than recently shown. His situation reminds me of the of the old saying: “If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.”

              2. With all the variable problems that Chip faced last season ( including getting only one season to try to rebuild with Baalke as GM ) I don’t think any rational person without an ax to grind could fault him much for the outcome. Now he might actually stink but last season would not be a viable example for that. To many people on this site (and that often includes Grant ) use rationalizations rather than reason to make their points.

              3. Kelly had 3 years in Philly and they couldn’t wait to get rid of him. His offense got figured out. The secret is out. You can’t put toothpaste back in the tube.

                How many years should he have gotten? Would he have magically been able to make 2nd half adjustments?

                The fact is nobody wanted Kelly but our idiot owner and previous GM. What axe do I have to grind? I don’t know him personally. He was holding back our team.

  3. Johnathan Allen is still my pick, absent Myles Garrett or trade down.

    Major League size at 300 Lbs, outweighing Thomas by 30 + Lbs, and tossing O-tackles like paper cups around, and guards (depending on your matchup or weak link is located that day)

    *Note: Walsh drafted the strongest man in the NFL, Kevin Fagan, who had two knee surgeries coming into the draft, and sat him for a year. Fagan went on to be a 2 time SuperBowl Right End.

  4. Grant, I beg to differ. Kelly was hosed by Baalke, but I really thought he was improving his people skills. Kelly was the unfortunate victim of the FO dysfunction, but he will still coach in this league, or maybe he will go back to college.

    He does have a sharp football mind, and if Bill Bellichick thinks Kelly is a good coach, that is who I will believe.

    Kaep can be a vegan, he just needs to have a competent nutritionist so he can get adequate amounts of protein.

    Kaep will play, and I hope he goes to a team with a good defense, solid RB and speedy WRs.

    Like Prime said, Kaep took the league by storm. I think he will do it again.

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    1. Like Prime also said, he was a one trick pony.

      Like Sebnnoying said:

      February 26, 2017 at 6:25 pm
      Niners will not draft a QB. They will roll with Kaep and trade back to accumulate picks to fix the defense.

      Whos laughing now Seb?

      1. Prime- That was purely a prediction and reasonable people will recognize that variables more often then not make those wrong. I do remember one time when a poster that went by the same name you do implied that the wind changed directions along with the teams between the 1st and 2nd Quarters.

  5. On to Seb’s Kaper-Cush. (Hoping his laptop, locked in ‘Kapwatch mode’, currently atop the bluff overlooking Shanny’s offices) while awaiting his idol, is in the off position.

    The article headline last week explained why Kap is unemployed: “Watch the Film.”

    I have the film. One look is all fans need:

    Rams have so little respect for Colin Kaepernick they leave receivers uncovered

    101 comments

    by Jacob Price@ohholybutt Nov 1, 2015, 2:21pm EST

    1. *http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/11/1/9654886/rams-have-so-little-respect-for-colin-kaepernick-they-leave-receivers

  6. you know something i sit hear and read these cooments about how keap stinks he had 2 bad seasons just 2 out off 7 years 3 nfc championship visits 1 superbowl which he put the t eam on his back and marched them down the field from a 25 point come back to loose by 4 points yes he has issues with reading defenses but this year his stats rivaled 2012 stat 16-4 an he had no one really to throw to our defense lost us the games last season we had 8 games we were leading in points an got ran all over we gave up over 500 yards in rushing in just 3 games thats an nfl record we gave up more rushing yard this seasn than when alex smith first started an your going to blame him this season hes being blacked balled because of one thing an only one thing his silent protest that he never announced it was the media who picked up on it if he wouldve gotten a dui or drug charges or even beat his girl he would signed today even trump mention in one of his speeches that the owners were scared to get a BS tweet from trump if the did sign him

      1. Except you didn’t criticize the incorrect usage of English and poor spelling in the post. Bit of double standard?

          1. Everyone, including you Seb makes orthographical errors. Our resident lawyer is the only one whose diction and language is beyond criticism.

              1. He is not signed because his kneel down enraged a large portion of the fan base that follow football. It’s purely an economic issue. Owners do not want to piss off their fan base. The types of people that would support his kneel down for the most part are anti sport anyway. As to the vegan thing- Not to many people realize that it can be managed. They still remember the negative effect it had on Bill Waltons career while he was playing for the Blazers. Nutrition has come a long way since then. Put those two together with other question marks and teams are not going to be lining up to sign him until other options are exhausted first.

      2. Of course you do. That was never in doubt.

        But if it’s the O-lines fault, and the D-lines fault, and the linebackers fault, and the secondary’s fault, and the receivers fault, etc., etc.,

        What is an NFL starting QB responsible for? At times, the Rams don’t even cover our receivers………..

        Walsh would have given him a bus ticket.

        1. All people are doing is pointing out mitigating circumstances that influence players performance. This team was a walking wreak the last two years. It seems that everyone recognizes that yet wants to use that as an argument as to why Kaep sucks. I remember what happened to Aikmans stats once Dallas lost their top wr and rb along with the line getting old. He turned from an All Star to someone that would have been cut if it wasn’t for his name. Some of you people either are incapable of assessing multiple factors that influence performance or chose not to because it suites your need to assign blame.

    1. This is one of the dumbest arguments in sports.

      Rex Grossman ‘lead’ the Bears to the playoffs twice, including the Superbowl where they almost beat the Colts. How did he do that? DEFENSE.

      Eli Manning. The guy, literally, a below average QB in the NFL. His career QB rating is 83.7. His playoff QB rating is 87.7 is pretty much pedestrian. He has never had a season where it broke 94 QB rating. Like Kaepernick, his career completion rate is under 60%. He has lead the NFL in INTs THREE TIMES. Yet two Super Bowls because the Giants defense was hot for a playoff run and Manning didn’t actually blow it.

      And there are a bunch more. Bad QBs to win. Bad QBs to get there.

      Meanwhile many outstanding, if not great, QBs, lacking support, never got there. Dan Fouts. Warren Moon. Sonny Jurgensen. Randall Cunningham. John Brodie. Dave Krieg. Mark Brunell. Phillip Rivers. John Hart. That’s just part of a big list of outstanding QBs who just didn’t have the team to get them there.

      It takes a team to get there. It always has. It always will.

      1. Good points. I’d add local favorite Trent Dilfer to your first list and Dan Marino to your second.

    2. hey Daren……

      Except for one thing……….those successes of Kap are old news. The league cought up to him and he has not grown as an NFL QB…..

      Kap HIMSELF has said he’s not a mechanics guy. How can you continue to build the house if the foundation is incomplete?????????

    3. Dude, take note:
      Let’s eat grandma.
      Let’s eat, grandma.

      Punctuation saves lives. Use it!

  7. Kaps biggest problem among other things seem to be his girlfriend has really got him by the huevos..
    She seems to have been the reason he really started going downhill.

  8. Seb: “Grant is trolling Me.”

    Please. Your conspiracy theories are beginning to reflect your inner-Trump: “Obama’s wire tapping Me.”

  9. It’s so painfully simple, don’t overthink it. His talent level does not offset distraction level. That’s it right there. If he was low profile, he’d have a team now at least for a look-see. He simply isn’t talented enough to justify all the distraction and media attention. He created this, both his talent and his profile. He will either have to improve his talent, or let time elapse to dilute the distraction. For Coaches and FO pretty simple calculation.

  10. I doubt he is being “blackballed” for a vegan diet. Any idiot should realize a vegan can get more than enough protein, proper nutrition etc. eating a vegan diet. Again I think his problem is his ability to get it done in the pocket both from an accuracy standpoint along with reading a defense and making good decisions. He has already stated he will not protest on Sundays so his politics should not be a factor although I am sure it is for a guy with a skill set for the position that is on the cusp.

    1. Some vegans don’t manage it well. Just because Brady does, doesn’t mean Kaepernick does.

      Remember, he came in as a bean-pole and they wouldn’t let him play, if I remember right, until hit 215 lbs. Which took until October.

  11. I posit that KS likes quarterbacks who do well with the hard play action, a staple of his offense. With the hat play action, a QB has to turn his back completely to the defense, get his feet set quickly, locate his open targets quickly, trust not only what the defense showed presnap, but diagnose the changes made after, and then release the ball quickly and accurately. I like Kaepernick, but I believe KS when he says asking Kaep to be this type of Qb doesn’t play to his strengths. Kaep struggled with this even with Chip dramatically improving the running game and making it a threat. Interestingly enough, I think Matt Barkeley was picked up exactly because he seems to excel with this play despite his many other deficiencies. Plus Barkley has the youth factor on his side and KS might be able to coach the stupidity out of him.

  12. sebnynah

    April 3, 2017 at 10:42 am

    Grant, I beg to differ.

    Like Prime said, Kaep took the league by storm. I think he will do it again.

    TomD’s Take: Not with Shanahan’s offense. He wouldn’t let that misquided missle near his team unless he competes at RB or WR .

    And Shanahan knows a thing or two about QB’s in his system, and I quote:

    Purdy: Shanahan explains why Kaepernick wasn’t a fit for him — but who will be?

    “I think Colin has a certain skill-set that you can put a specific offense to it that he can be very successful in. When we first looked at it, you’ve got to look at each quarterback and what type of offense you want to put in. That wasn’t necessarily the direction I wanted to go . . .The type of offense I want to run was somewhat different and that’s why we went that type of direction.”
    Brian is like that,” Shanahan said. “He’s obsessed with the game. He will learn your offense. He’ll be able to execute and run it. That gives other guys a chance to perform in your offense. If your quarterback can’t execute it and go through it, it doesn’t always matter what the O-line or the receivers are doing. With Brian, you have a very smart guy who works at it, will hang in the pocket and is fearless, will keep his eyes down the field and deliver the ball to the right spots. It gives people a chance to be successful.”

    1. TrollD, this is why I think you do not have enough football knowledge to blow up a balloon. Why dont you advocate more Kaep for Tebow trades?

      KS may pump up Hoyer, but if you think Hoyer is a better QB than Kaep, you just showed your utter lack of common sense.

      Of course, you are the troll who speculates about breaking into gun safes and creating nightmares, so you are pretty delusional, too.

      1. Seb-

        Are we to understand that you know more about QB’s and QB play than our new coach?

        Your fuuuunnnnyy.

        1. Hoyer has yet to win a playoff game.
          Kaep has a 4-2 road playoff record.

          Hoyer has 117 total yards rushing.
          Kaep had 181 yards in one playoff game.

          Hoyer 40 time- 5.05 seconds
          Kaep 40 time- 4.53 secs.

          1. Seb- TomD’s argument was valid. He is just saying that Kaep does not fit the type of QB that Shanahan thinks will be successful in his system. I remember some of your other past posts that Kaep would be successful if teams played to his strengths. Well thats what Shanahan was saying as well. He just doesn’t want to gear his offense to Kaeps strengths. He does not have to rush to win now so he has time to set up the system he wants. Kaep would probable be the best option for winning now, but he is gearing for the long haul.

            Oh I also think Kaep got a bad deal from both the front office and a large portion of the fans here. There was a bias in place right from the moment he started his first game. That was by Alex supporters who became Kaep haters just because he replaced their boy, and QB purists who think only pocket QB’ can be effective. But then a lot of other QB’s also get bad deals because they end up on the wrong team. Just think of what would have happened to Montana if he didn’t end up with the NIners and Walsh’s west coast offense. He was not a QB whose skill set suited the type of offenses they ran back then. Walsh recognize that he was made to order for his offense. it’s not just about talent but also opportunity.

  13. There aren’t many vegans, at least players who claim to be vegans, playing in the league that I know of. Arian Foster was really the only one I recall who stated he was. I don’t see it as being much of an issue. You can find ways to makeup the protein lost in a vegan diet.

    I don’t think it has anything to do with why Kap hasn’t signed anywhere. My guess is if he wanted to take a backup role and sign for low money he could have done it by now. The last report on this stated he is waiting for the opportunity to compete for a starting role and if that’s true he likely won’t be signed if at all until late in the process. At least not until after the draft.

    1. Per your request Rocket, the mock was posted in response to a hypothetical trade with the Panthers.They take number two spot and we move down to number eight and also receive 40th and 64th picks.
      (1) C.McCaffrey RB/KR/WR
      (2) E.Engram TE/WR
      (2b) Quincy Wilson CB
      (2c)J Peppars S
      (3) Cooper Kupp WR
      (4) Tansel Smart DL
      (4b) Blair Brown ILB
      (5) Vince Biegel OLB
      (5b)Joe Mathis DE
      (6) Sam Rogers FB
      (6b) Ryan Switzer KR /WR
      (7) Philip Nelson QB

      1. Earlier, I mocked Cooper Kupp, but when he ran a 4.6 forty, I backed away from him, since there are many WRs in the 4.42 range.

        I did not comment because I want the Niners to draft defense first, but otherwise, a solid draft.

        1. Thanks Seb,with regards to Kupp his 40 was trimmed to 4.5 ish range at his pro day and what he lacks in speed he makes up for in mastery of route running and diligent study of the game in the third round I think he is a steal.

      2. Good draft hightop. I doubt Peppers falls that far but who knows right? Some really good talent on here and Joe Mathis is a nice pick late.

        1. You are right, doubt Peppars gets out of the first but there has been some doubt about him in some quarters in reference to not being fully accomplished in any particular position so who knows.Thanks for the feedback!

            1. I know I know Razor, East busted me on it the other day and being a bit of a contrarian I’m feeling pleased to go O in the first?

          1. They could probable trade down again and still get Mcaffrey. By the way his dad was my wr crush while he was with the Niners. I was very upset that they let him go and didn’t resign him. I think he signed with the Bronco’s for around 350. I thought he was a stud. For the few snaps he played for the Niners he caught every thing thrown his way and always seemed to be open. The Niners got him from the Giants who threw very little so he really wasn’t used much. The let him go because they needed all the cash the could muster to give Stokes a new contract. We all know how that worked out, while McCaffrey had multiple all pro seasons with Denver. Could you have imagine a line up with McCaffrey and T.Owens at wr. It still pisses me off.

  14. The biggest problems with Kap is he failed to adjust his game either because he couldn’t or because he wouldn’t. Defenses caught up with the few things he did well and that has turned him into a limited player.
    In his first few years it also didn’t hurt having a great running game and one of the top defenses in the league.
    He will get signed to a new team. He will probably play some, maybe even a lot. He will make some great plays. particularly with his legs and he will fail to make a lot more plays. Some other teams blog will have the same arguments this one has and nothing will change.
    The only reason a vegan diet would matter more with Kap than Brady is Kap needs to be more athletic than Brady and will take more hits and so needs more muscle mass.
    If Kap was smart in would go to Carolina and back up Cam. They have similar games and Cam gets beat up quite a bit, so Kap might play a fair amount. The offense should work for Kap and he might learn some things from Cam

    1. Although you reasoning makes a lot of sense, I just don’t think Kaep would want to back up Cam. His decision making has not been stellar the last few years.

  15. John Lynch, Kyle Shanahan build relationship with late-night film, food

    PHOENIX — After getting a late start on his first NFL head coaching job, San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan occasionally forgets to do some basic everyday activities. You know, things such as eat or sleep.

    When Shanahan is at the office late, grinding tape, Lynch will sometimes stop in and tell him to go home. When Shanahan has skipped a meal or two, Lynch might swing by with food.

    You’ve got a young coach who goes at it hard,” Lynch said. “Part of my job is going to be keeping him healthy or keeping him fresh mentally and all those things. Sometimes I’ll say, ‘Get out of here; go home.’ It’s been easier because [our] families haven’t been here and now his family is going to be here. He’s a grinder, he works hard, sometimes forgets to eat meals and stuff, so part of my job …
    http://www.espn.com/blog/san-francisco-49ers/post/_/id/24288/from-late-night-film-sessions-to-food-delivery-how-john-lynch-and-kyle-shanahan-are-building-relationships

  16. Kaepernick is being blackballed because he never learned to read. And the read option/zone read isn’t a viable base offense. And he is a running QB that is already 29. And his mechanics are horrible. And he is not coachable.

    And he is inaccurate. And he rarely has touch. And his ball placement is bad. And any HC would have change their entire offense for CK to have limited success. And he doesn’t study film.

    And Chip Kelly? I ripped him in long rants so many times. I will just agree with Grant this time. He stinks.

    1. #80,

      A lot of hyperbole there and much of what you wrote describes a number of QB’s currently employed by NFL teams. We have seen that Kap can function pretty well in a run first offense with play action, but is limited as a pocket passer. I don’t see him as a viable starter with those limitations, but he is better than a number of QB’s on rosters right now. What it comes down to is whether he is willing to be a backup or not.

      1. “A lot of hyperbole there and much of what you wrote describes a number of QB’s currently employed by NFL teams.”

        rocket,

        The only comment that I think could be considered hyperbole is that his mechanis are horrible. I could have just said poor or subpar.

        “Much of what you wrote…”

        Sure, some of the flaws. But all of the flaws? Kap has so many flaws, I had to seperate them into two paragraphs just to make my post easier to read.

        What does Kap do well is a better question.

        1. #80,

          He’s not uncoachable. He was playing half way through his second year because he was very coachable. He is a 60 percent passer for his career which is average, their was a rumor that he didn’t study film that we heard last year but was never verified or supported. There are a number of teams that wouldn’t have to change their offense for him. I mentioned a few to Prime above. Say what you want about his inability to play a conventional QB, but he is competent in a system like Harbaugh ran which incorporates the run game and play action.

          1. But you can’t do that every down. Whether it’s run heavy and play action or read option/zone read, A QB still has to make throws from the pocket.

            The film stuff is just a rumor, but his lack of evolution as a QB supports that rumor.

            Is he coachable? He has said that he isn’t concerned about his mechanics. All of the QBs in the draft have a mechanical flaw. If they said they weren’t willing to work on them their stock would plummet.

            1. #80,

              I didn’t say every down. I said that is the type of system he can play in. It’s easier to make throws from the pocket when you have a defense knowing they have to respect the run and the pass protection is good. Let’s not get carried away and pretend he can’t throw from the pocke at all here. One thing that has been lost in all the Kap talk is that he was still a middle of the pack QB in his worst season under Harbaugh.

              There are many reasons QB’s don’t take the next step it’s not all about film study or effort. Kap went to AZ in the offseason on his own to try and improve his game.

              The mechanics comment is being blown out of proportion as well. My guess is he is referring to the fact he tried to change a number of things during his time in AZ and it made things worse instead of better. Say what you will but he was a lot better last year than the previous year when he was trying a new throwing motion among other things.

              Ultimately all I’m saying is Kap is better than a lot of backups that are currently sitting on NFL rosters and could play for a few teams without them having to completely change their offense to accommodate him.

              1. rocket,

                I know you’re not saying Kap is the best QB in the league. I think you know that I’m not saying he is the worst either.

              2. #80,

                I know you aren’t. I just responded because your take was a little exaggerated imo. Kap’s time as a starter in this league is likely over, but I don’t buy the narrative of him not being able to play anywhere or that he’s not signed simply because he stinks.

              3. rocket,

                Can you imagine what my posts would be like if you didn’t call out my hypebole?
                :-)

                I appreciate the constructive criticism and I think I’ve cut back on my hypebolic statements. Old habits die hard though. I’m working on it.

              4. Lol. You aren’t that bad. We all do it at times and it often leads to interesting discussion. Just continue doing your thing.

      2. There isn’t that big of a market for a QB, never mind a gimmick QB:

        AFC East — Jets need a WCO QB so they signed McCown to teach whomever they draft in the WCO unless they actually think Hackenberg will somehow improve.

        AFC North — Only the Browns have a huge hole. They tried with RGIII last year and it didn’t work. Same player, different name.

        AFC South — Texans are on the sidelines with options: Draft. Romo. Cutler. RGIII. Kaepernick. Others. The Jags are giving Bortles one last shot. They’ve not been competitive the last few years so it probably doesn’t really matter to them.

        AFC West — The Broncos have the journeyman Seiman and Lynch who played well (for a rookie) in some action toward the end of the year. No room there.

        NFC East — He’s not taking Manning’s job even I think he’s average (at best). Nor will he take Wentz’s job. No other possible openings.

        NFC North — Only the Bears need a QB and they signed Glennon whom they wanted to trade for two years ago. All the rest are solid to great.

        NFC South — I don’t think much of Newton, but he’s better than Kaepernick. Winston may top-out at average. The rest are outstanding with Brees being HOF-caliber.

        NFC West — They need the heir to Palmer. Goff hasn’t yet failed. Hoyer is better in the pocket than Kaepernick who is dreadful in the pocket. And, of course, I don’t think Kaepernick is going to knock off Wilson anytime soon…

        So where’s the market for a guy who is, routinely, one of the worst bad-pass throwers in the NFL? Who shows very little in the way of NFL QBing skills. And, ultimately, in the estimation of our new Head Coach, a system QB who can’t run the WCO… Which is, frankly, a fairly standard NFL offense.

    2. 80,
      Here’s my perspective.
      Would Kap have a job right now if he never took the controversial stance of last season?
      My personal opinion – Yes.

      No doubt CK’ play has eroded, but there’s no doubt (imho) that there is collusion among the NFL owners to keep Kap from playing on their teams because of his stance. NFL players can beat their wives, children and ring up the police blotter and find their way back to the NFL. Apparently owners don’t view these issues as un-American.

  17. Brian Hoyer sucks much worse than Colin Kaepernick but Hoyer has a job.

    http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000620036/article/brian-hoyer-sinks-texans-in-300-loss-to-chiefs

    If Ck led the league in passing last year, every NFL would be knocking down his door right now. At this point in his career, CK’s ceiling has been defined and he will. at best, be an average QB. He’s still a lot better than guys like Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley so there is something else definitely at play here. Outside the liberal bubble of San Francisco and California in general, Kaepernick is strongly disliked by many people for his Anthem stand or lack thereof. Owners don’t want to deal with the potential negative press and they certainly don’t want their teams to have to deal with possible distractions.

    So it’s probably a combination of things. One other thing we don’t know is if there are teams that would like to sign CK but his Agent is being selective to teams in the geography where CK wants to land. I’m guessing CK wants to end up in NY or at least in the northeast so he can be near his gf – Nessa Diab or his bf – Shaun King.

      1. Yeah because Hoyer been on 5 teams in 8 seasons, who is injury prone and pads his stats by throwing 40-50 times a game

      2. I knew little about Hoyer prior to the signing. So, I’ve been watching condensed versions of the Bear’s 2016 games that he played in. So far I am mildly impressed. Strong on play action. I’ve watched his first three games from last season which were all 300+ yard games. He played in six games prior to getting hurt. Completed 67% of his passes for 1,445 yards (7.2 yards per attempt) with six TDs and no interceptions. He looks to me like he has pretty good accuracy.

        It may turn out that he’s no better than Gabbert, but with Hoyer you have a QB that is capable of playing in KS’ system. With Kap you don’t and that’s probably the bottom line. Kap’s game and self-declaration to not improve his game is simply not suited to KS.

      3. Hoyer will have a far more successful year than Kaepernick has had his last three years. Kaep is being appraised on his past three seasons alone, not for his spectacular flash-in-the-pan run that was supported by Frank Gore and Vernon Davis and underscored by one of the NFL’s premier defenses. Hoyer will flourish in Shanahan’s offense.

      4. Kaep is way faster, more elusive, can run 99.5 yards untouched for a TD, has a stronger arm, and has a 4-2 road playoff record.

        1. And Dilfer won a Super Bowl… Hm…. How did that happen? One more ring than Kaep.

          Not all is linear Seb. Perhaps you should turn the volume down on your personal theme music, take your eye off the mirror, and embrace where the 9ers are today as we head into an interesting draft.

          1. Doofus won because Ray Lewis threatened to eviscerate him if he threw the ball. Ravens defense did not allow a TD in the playoffs, I think.

        2. Pretty good qualities–for a receiver.

          Kap also has a stronger arm than Montana, and is faster, too!

          Not more elusive in the pocket, tho.

          Using Seb-logic…..Kap is better!

          1. Joe had Ronnie Lott and Jerry Rice. He was surrounded by pro bowl players.

            Kaep had a team bereft in talent, and Baalke as the GM.

            1. He makes no one better by being on the field.

              No one shines because of Kap-no one.

      5. Hoyer is a better option for Shanahan’s offense, but I’d say Kap is a better and more talented player.

        1. Frankly Rocket, I’ve had my fill of athletically gifted QBs. I wouldn’t mind if the pendulum swung the other way and they drafted a football mentally gifted QB. But no doubt they are much harder to find assuming any exist at all at the college level.

          1. I hear you Cubus. Nothing beats a poised pocket passer with accuracy but as you mentioned, there aren’t a lot of them out there.

            1. Even KS admitted that poised accurate pocket passers are as rare as hen’s teeth.

        2. For what scheme? What team out there Rocket could benefit from having Kap as their QB?

          1. A scheme that utilizes a heavy run approach with play action. He’d fit in a number of places: Buffalo, Dallas, Tennessee, Carolina, Seattle and there’s probably more I can’t think of off the top of my head. Not saying he’d be better than the starters for these teams, but they wouldn’t have to change their offense if he had to take over as a backup.

            1. Rocket
              Let’s imagine the scenario of CK in Dallas. Dak goes down, Colin steps in to start for a bit. Exactly how long until Dez Bryant erupts in frustration?
              OK, Titans: Mariota is healing a bit slower than expected. Still, no insurance signing of CK.
              Buffalo paid their guy more than they really wanted to.
              I will admit that with recent developments with the Seahags that Seattle remains a possible late landing place, but there were mutterings a few weeks ago and nothing yet.
              If CK would accept a standard back-up QB deal that included attainable incentive benchmarks should he become a starter, he might help his employment hopes.
              It’s hard for me to objectively say he’s worse than Sanchez, for instance, but existentially, Shanny chose Barkley and Hoyer over a reboot with Kap.

              1. Good points BT. I would add that cap space is a factor as well. Every team still has to sign their draft picks.

                Cowboys – $1,871,396 cap space.
                Bills – $10,577,897
                Seahawks – $9,684,824

                None of these teams are going to give 10 million to a backup.

              2. BT,

                I know you can appreciate the fact I was responding to an extreme position from Prime. I also stated I don’t see him as a viable starter, but there is little doubt in my mind he could step in and play as a backup for a few teams and would be better than the options they currently have behind the starter.

                He doesn’t fit Shanny’s system so it was no surprise they moved on.

              3. I agree Rocket. He needs to go to a team that has very little holes and has the ability to make up for his deficiencies in other areas like you mentioned a strong defense and running game.
                The other factor is what team like that needs him or is willing to risk the distraction that comes with it?
                I don’t see him signed unless a team has a serious injury.

              4. Yeah Rocket, I did slip into the middle of an extended thread there, so I might have missed some context. It’s cool, I think our comments are ok even in isolation.

              5. As much as I don’t like his game,that pick so high for a QB that never developed, for whatever reasons, has set the franchise back considerably.
                Hindsight is what it is, but we never should have traded Alex Smith.

        3. Jeff George was also a very talented and gifted QB who went nowhere in the NFL. Not sure that talent alone argument trumps the day rocket. I get what you say about Kap but what I see is a guy who cannot put together a complete game and that is inexcusable for a player of his caliber.

      6. Disagree. I watched Hoyer play up close in person for a year. He was absolutely horrible. On top of a lack of talent, I got a strong impression that he lacks heart. Needless to say, I’m not a fan. Say it this way, CK is Tina Fey … overall average but can be mildly attractive. Hoyer is Amy Poehler… Should never be mistaken for attractive but some people get fooled by heavy makeup on award show nights.

        1. Houston,
          That may be the greatest comparison of QB”s in the history of football.

          1. I’m sure I stole that comparison from someone but I can’t remember who or I’d give them credit.

        2. I haven’t watched much of Hoyer but he had some success with Shanahan in Cleveland which is why I gave him the edge in this system.

          The ending to your post was outstanding.

          1. I was disagreeing with Grant’s broad statement that “Hoyer is better than Kaepernick.” I don’t share that sentiment. Kaepernick is better at every QB skill than Hoyer and I personally don’t think it’s close. CK is average. Hoyer is bad, IMO.

        3. Either way you are putting lipstick on a pig or polishing a turd. I think Hoyer is a better passer but that’s not saying much. Hoyer had a 7-4 record with Shanny and the lowly Browns.

      7. Can Hoyer stay healthy? Between getting injured and or spending time on the bench we really don’t know what we’re getting with him.

      1. I’m always balanced in every part of my life. It’s everyone else who are absolute nutjobs : )

        1. Well, I have come to think of you as a “Fair and Balanced” guy, especially over the last 3-4 years.
          : -)
          Offered humorously but respectfully in acknowledgement of our political differences and football agreements.

          1. As much as I don’t like his game,that pick so high for a QB that never developed, for whatever reasons, has set the franchise back considerably.
            Hindsight is what it is, but we never should have traded Alex Smith.

    1. Nope. Kaepernick’s QB play was a mirage last year. He was, literally, 10% less effective than Alex Smith in the dink-and-dunk and offered nothing positive to offset it.

      He’s the same QB the fell apart mid-2014 (QB rating < 77.0 for the last 8 games) and scuffled in 2015 & 2016.

  18. Grant’s Blog — The Movie

    If this blog became a central story line for a movie (…drama) about a particular collection of 9er fans, I wonder who would play the key parts? Who would play Razor? Seb? CFC? OldCoach? Joe Pesci for Seb? Zack Efron could portray Grant.

    1. I’ve been told more then a few times in my life that I look like Cary Elwes and sound like Dennis Miller so take your pick.

        1. If I had my choice id go with Daniel Day Lewis. Hes good at everything he does, pretty much the exact opposite of me. :)

    2. Cassie,

      I don’t know about the cast, but with all the music talk on this blog, the movie would have one hell of a soundtrack.

      1. Think Edgar Winter ‘Frankenstein’ and the ‘Theme from Shaft’ by Issac Hayes…

  19. I’m really not sure why we would even care why Kaepernick doesn’t have a team. The only thing that’s important to 49ers fans is that he’s no longer on this one.

    1. Hah ha ha right on CFC, what an incredible relief! We actually can look forward to some blue-sky opportunities again, to some honest-to-god Big League Football.

    2. Same reasons Alex Smith is still brought up regularly. There is an obsession with QB’s that goes well beyond a healthy level.

      1. Rocket,
        You are correct sir and i’m here to argue Tittle\Brodie or Brodie\Mira with anyone (i’ll take either side)

          1. I sat in the mostly empty SJS stands about five feet from Brodie and a couple of his friends. It was Spurrier’s first training camp and the 49ers were having their “open” scrimmage. Spurrier took a snap and about one step when John said, “He’s got him.” — followed by a plant and throw about thirty yards down field for a touchdown.

            That was probably Spurrier’s NFL carrier highlight.

  20. I am just waiting for the day Lynch or Shanahan corrects Grant Cohn in a presser, so Grant can write crybaby revenge articles about their scheme or strategies of building a team.

    1. I am hoping that KS can talk about Gap integrity and making second half adjustments….

  21. Let me end the mystery. Kaepernick is unemployed for the same reason Kelly doesn’t have a job any longer as a head coach. They stink.

    Sugar coat it much?

      1. Did he grow up too rich? WTF is wrong with that kid? His dad is a stand-up self-accountable blue collar guy with goals and self esteem. He turned down a full ride scholarship at Penn State cuz Joe Pa wanted to make him a linebacker. In hindsight, a HoF decision.
        So why is his kid a head case?

  22. Colin Kaepernick still hasn’t signed with an NFL team, and we’ve heard a bunch of explanations for why …

    it seems like we get a new one each week, and they’re are starting to get pretty ridiculous. The latest report suggests that teams do not like Kaepernick’s vegan diet, which is laughable.

    Since NFL teams seem to be running out of excuses for why they aren’t signing Kaepernick (when we all really know why they aren’t), For the Win has decided to help them out by creating the “Colin Kaepernick excuse generator.” Just click the button, and you’ll have a new excuse for why he still doesn’t have a job…

    http://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/04/nfl-colin-kaepernick-protest-anthem-blackballed-contract-rumors-excuses

    Why Kap doesn’t have a job ?

    # 1 Answer: There’s growing concern around the NFL that Kap doesn’t put pineapple on his pizza !

  23. The San Frqancisco 49ers are about to embark on its maiden voyage with a new captain and 2nd in command.

    Seb’s trying to tell the captain who the gunner s/b, whose the inferior, and who hierarchy s/b, having never played the game.

  24. And Seb, when you respond with your phony gridiron greatness stories, remember. Not once have you regailed us with your football resume, have you ?

    1. Oh look, TrollD is calling out anyone who has not played the game. Guess I have really gotten to him.

      TrollD, maybe you should start with Grant.

  25. Throwing out some #’s I just came across:

    In 27 games with Stanford, Thomas had 102 tackles, 25.5 tackles for a loss, and 11.5 sacks, while lined up in many different positions.

  26. 49ers should consider WR Mike Williams at No. 2
    Kevin Jones, KNBR

    TomD’s Take: No they should Not
    Mike Williams sounds too much like JJ (slow runner) Stokes.

    Mike Williams/40 yard dash time
    4.53 seconds

    1. Agreed. Williams will struggle to get seperation. He has too many drops. And with his neck, he is one hit away from being like Sterling Sharpe. I wouldn’t even consider the 3rd best WR of the class at #2.

      1. Mostly those guys end up Stokes or Crabtree — second-tier possession WRs who are best at finding soft-spots in a zone. Every now and then you get a Boldin or Fitzgerald. Not the greatest of speed, but they’re technicians who can create separation via route-running and body control and turn into warriors when they get the ball.

        1. Body control is the big thing. JJ Stokes failed to live up to his billing because he didn’t have excellent body control. Same issue with a lot of the failed big bodied WRs. The ability to use your size to your advantage is a must for those big guys with only ok speed, and you need to be able to get yourself under control at various platforms to make catches above or away from the defender.

          Which is why I think Williams will be fine. He has excellent body control.

    2. That was HAND TIMED. There is an error-bar 0.100 to 0.225 seconds.

      I’m not making that up. A few years ago at the combine they had a bunch of scouts hand-time prospects so they could measure their delay in starting the stop-watch.

      Best delay is 0.100 of a second. Average delay is 0.175. Worst delay was 0.225.

      That’s why, for decades now, players keep ‘getting faster’ on their pro-days. There’s no mystery about it.

      Mike Williams is almost certainly a 4.63 WR to 4.73 WR.

          1. They use them, but the electronic times are the accurate ones. Probably why they’re listed as official;>)

              1. Grant:

                There is no way that a human being can provide a consistent starting and stopping motion for timing using hand timing. Do you have any idea how fast 0.1 seconds is let alone 0.01 seconds? A person could easily be a hair early or late when pressing the stopwatch. Breaking a beam of light will be far more accurate when measuring individual times and when comparing runners.

              2. It doesn’t matter if they use an hour glass. The purpose is to measure a persons speed relative to some benchmark. (This guy is x faster than that guy) If all times are y +/- compared to another method, the difference between two players does not change enough to make a difference. If Grant is really saying that teams use hand times because they are more accurate then that is proof that he is a true testa dura.

              3. Why do teams use hand times?

                1. Because they can.
                2. Makes them feel good.
                3. Old school habit.

              4. Not that simple. There are millions of dollars riding on these times. If hand times were as inaccurate as you’re making them out to be, teams wouldn’t use them..

              5. If hand times were as inaccurate as you’re making them out to be, teams wouldn’t use them.

                Hand times are not as accurate as electronic times. Scientific fact, Grant. They use them for the same reasons people still use flip phones….

              6. You’re being overly dismissive of people who are more qualified than you are.

              7. Grant: If you’re trying to measure something to within 1/hundredth of a second then the measuring apparatus which includes turning it on and off has to be at least that accurate (and preferably even more accurate).

                Think of it this way (and I’m exaggerating a bit). If you wanted to measure a length to within the nearest 1/8th of an inch, would you use a ruler that has gradations of 1/4″. With regards to timing adding the human element adds additional inaccuracy. If the intent was to have the clocked run times to the nearest second, then hand times would probably work just fine for a 40 yard dash. But once you start trying to get to the nearest 0.1 seconds or 0.01 seconds, then human beings simply cannot react fast enough and consistently enough to allow that type of accuracy. If a person starts the hand clock 0.1 seconds early and stops it 0.1 seconds late, you’ve just added 0.2 seconds on to the actual time.

                Finally, you ran a pretty fast 40 if I recall correctly. Would you want your “official” time determined by a relatively inaccurate instrument instead of much more accurate instruments that are readily available?

              8. With all due respect to hand timers, a wall filled with framed documents of qualifications does not change science.

              9. Teams have their reasons, and teams don’t add time to Pro Day numbers.

                I’m sure they do, and I’m sure they don’t “officially” because that would depreciate their argument that if the player is not happy with their official time, they can improve it at their Pro Day….

              10. Yes. Electronic time is the most consistent and accurate measure possible. Not personal, just science….

              11. Since both are somewhat inaccurate, best to use hand times to have a consistent method to measure times at the combine and pro day.

              12. That doesn’t make sense. If there’s a delay at the beginning of the run, there would be a delay at the end of the run, too.

              13. I read the article. It says that the time released was not accurate. What does “released” mean in this context. Isn’t it possible that the time for another runner was accidentally released as the time for Cooper. Why assume that the measuring instrument was the cause of the error?

              14. …best to use hand times to have a consistent method to measure times at the combine and pro day.

                I’m not advocating for doing away with them. If it makes you feel warm-n-fuzzy with that stopwatch in your hand, go for it! For me, I keep it in context, and am not surprised when a players Pro Day time is faster than their Combine time….

              15. Using a consistent hand-timing method at the combine and pro days is more accurate than adding an arbitrary amount of time to a pro day hand time.

                Pro day numbers sometimes are faster because players are more rested.

              16. Pro day numbers sometimes are faster because players are more rested.

                If that’s your argument, then I’d rather have the unrested time, because in a football game there is no rest for the wicked….

              17. I’ll take the Pro Day numbers because football is all about a weekly routine and the combine takes players out of their routines.

              18. “That doesn’t make sense. If there’s a delay at the beginning of the run, there would be a delay at the end of the run, too.”

                That’s actually a fair question to ask the authors of the study. I suspect the answer is that the accuracy for stopping the watch is better than for starting it. Why? Because the coach is 40 yards away from the starting line and I think that he doesn’t really know when the runner will start (i.e. there is no countdown from a clock overhead).

                At the finish line, he is watching the runner and knows where the finish line is. He can therefore, gauge when the runner will cross the line (i.e. anticipate). If the runner’s velocity is constant, this anticipation might be better than one would expect otherwise. Perhaps shaving off 0.1 seconds of inaccuracy.

                Don’t know for sure as I’m just guessing, but I agree that your question is a good one.

                Still doesn’t take away from the fact that electronic timing is more consistent and accurate. But if hand times are consistently 0.2 or so seconds faster than electronic times, I can see why players want to use them. Lay people and journalists aren’t so exacting about these times and are likely to just accept them as is. This could help in inflating the value of the player.

              19. Tom Coughlin sits at the 10-yard line every year. Coaches and scouts don’t necessarily stand at the finish line.

              20. From the article that Razor linked:

                “Traditionally, the test was measured by hand, with coaches standing at the finish line with a stopwatch.”

                I’m sure there are people who do it differently. Don’t know if I’d want someone Coughlin’s age measuring my time. Could help tremendously or hurt me tremendously.

              21. I’ll take the Pro Day numbers because football is all about a weekly routine and the combine takes players out of their routines.

                You’re kidding, right? These players train routinely for months in preparation for the combine….

              22. The Combine is a four-day grind.

                Which the players routinely train for months prior to.

              23. Doesn’t matter. The nature of the Combine throws players out of their routines. They’re told when to wake up, when to eat, what to eat, when to go to sleep. They’re “poked and prodded.” It’s no surprise players run slower at the combine than they normally would. That’s why teams rely on Pro Day numbers.

              24. I think you’re being too dismissive of a players resilience. My routine was interrupted when I went to boot camp, but a month into training, I had a new routine….

              25. Football has a specific weekly routine. Everything builds up to game day. The Combine is the antithesis of that.

              26. Pro day numbers are skewed, because players lose weight to gain speed. They cannot do that in the Combine because the Combine weighs them. Lighter players will grade out poorly. Coaches and scouts want to see players work out at their playing weight.

                Stopwatch timing is inaccurate. Electronic timing does not have the human factor.

              27. I would take all the times with a grain of salt. Football players don’t start running from a sprinter stance and rarely get a clear 40 yard space to run anyway. If the league really wanted to test the speed of these guys, they’d have them in full pads and running from a standing position with a player bumping them along the way. The combine is a Dog and Pony show that gives little indication as to a players football speed and ability.

              28. That antithesis is prepared for and after 21 days, your body and mind have adapted according to scientific research….

              29. The combine is a tool and has it’s part in the whole evaluation process. To suggest otherwise is misguided….

              30. The Pro Day is a much better tool. The Combine is just convenient because 330 prospects are in one place.

              31. Grant,

                Yep. The combine was originally just a medical check that morphed into what it is now. It has it’s benefits – you can see the players together, get a chance to meet them and pick their brains – but the drills really have no connection to football ability. It likely will never happen, but I’d like to see them revamp everything to make it more Football centric.

              32. Razor,

                Then call me misguided because imo the combine has little bearing on how teams stack their boards. It doesn’t demonstrate football movement or ability at all, and doesn’t demonstrate whether somebody can actually play the game at a high level.

              33. …but the drills really have no connection to football ability.

                Couldn’t disagree more.

  27. Who cares? Last I heard, he’s no longer on the team. Seb, you really need to set that sack of bricks down bro. Let’s all move on, and avoid the same scenario that plagued this blog when Alex Smith left….

    1. So Razoreater, who plays your part in the Grant Blog movie… Tom Hanks or Matthew McConaughey?

    2. Razor, I remember the Joe versus Steve hullabaloo, that divided families.

      Believe me, I truly think he will play elsewhere, but bring up the possibility of him returning just to get their goat.

  28. http://www.ninersnation.com/2017/4/3/15165336/49ers-offseason-workout-schedule-2017-full-list-of-dates

    Isn’t May 5-7 kind of early for a rookie minicamp? 49ers.com also lists May 5-7 for the rookie minicamp. Perhaps it’s a mistake since there is this statement at the bottom of the article referenced above:

    “Each club may hold a rookie football development program for a period of seven weeks, which in 2017 may begin on May 15. During this period, no activities may be held on weekends, with the exception of one post-NFL Draft rookie minicamp, which may be conducted on either the first or second weekend following the draft.”

    May 15th still seems kind of early to me for schools to have finished finals.

      1. You’re right. I recall copping a snotty attitude towards the herd mentality of the national media’s insistence that SF would take Arik. Shallow, not digging for the true inside scoop.
        Then……

  29. http://walterfootball.com/nflrumors/teamdraft

    “4/2: “The San Francisco 49ers (No. 2 overall) and Chicago Bears (No. 3 overall) have shown serious interest in getting to know Jonathan Allen.” – Charlie Campbell, WalterFootball.com

    “Both teams could really use Allen, but it remains to be seen how his shoulders check out.”

  30. “It is also worth noting that Reid’s right bicep seems like it is probably in pretty good shape. He tore the muscle last season, ending up on injured reserve. He was unable to work out for some time, but looking at his right arm in this video, he seems to have had plenty of time to get back into the gym. By all accounts, he should be good to go when the 49ers kick off the offseason workout program next week.”

    http://www.ninersnation.com/2017/4/3/15168946/eric-reid-vance-mcdonald-sit-ups-heavy-bag-gym-49ers

  31. I believe Kaep, the NFL and edible plants will eventually peacefully co-exist. Plants do contain protein.

  32. Grant:
    Do you know, after signing Zack Brown, the amount of salary cap that leaves Washington with? I read somewhere, don’t
    remember where, they had less than $2 million left?

    1. GEEP:

      You can find the salary cap situation of all teams at spotrac.com. Doesn’t look like Zach Brown is listed yet, but they have about $16.6 million in cap space. I didn’t realize that Josh Norman’s cap hit in 2017 is $20 million. Ouch.

  33. If CK had no habits a typical billionaire didn’t like (monosyllabic scowling press conferences, surprise surgery on his own timetable and doctor, national anthem sitting, etc.) I think he’d have interest as a backup.

    Your in the playoffs. You just knocked out the opposing team’s quarterback. Your licking your chops. Then CK trots out with his sprinter speed and playoff experience. And your DE has few reps defending zone read.

    Why is CK out of work? Some owners outright despise him. Some teams would like him as a backup but are worried he’s too high maintenance. Not worth it for a backup.

    Is there a league wide blackball? I don’t think so. But I do think CK’s off the Free Agent Board for several teams. The remaining teams he’s not the best fit… or isn’t worth the hassle given his backup level skills.

  34. Danny Kelly, The Ringer: Thomas

    “King Solomon can align wide in base looks alongside San Francisco defensive linemen DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead, then bump inside to rush against guards in obvious passing situations.”

    1. I agree with that. But Thomas, Buckner and Armstead can’t all rush against guards on passing downs.

      1. I’m missing something when you say against guards in passing downs. Why wouldn’t they be rushing against tackles as well?

        1. The author from The Ringer is saying Thomas would be a defensive end in the base defense and a defensive tackle on third downs.

          1. Got it. So either Buckner or Armstead sits during passing downs if Thomas is in. Are we sure that Thomas can’t rush the passer like an OLB?

            1. He didn’t rush from the edge much in college. Risky to draft someone to do something he didn’t do in college.

              1. You think he’s near his ceiling? As it is right now, when he’s firing on all cylinders, he’s unstoppable. He’s got All Pro written all over him. Two studs and a spare is what you want at defensive line. It’s like a commandment….

              2. Grant- What! Draft a player and then expect him to do something different than he did in college? Risky! Baalke did that all the time.

        2. Grant can speak for himself, but different skills are needed in inside rush vs OC and OGs as opposed to OTs on the edge.

        3. In the Oregon (and to a degree the 49ers) 3-4, Armstead and Buckner played over tackles in base. In passing downs they kicked inside over guards. Worked really well. They both rush the QB better from inside vs shorter armed, less athletic guards.

      2. That’s the pickle. Based on what my eyeballs tell me Buckner, Armstead, Blair and Thomas rush best from inside.

        They all “can” rush from multiple positions, but that doesn’t mean they should.

        That said, I still like Thomas. If we can’t arrange a trade back, I’d be happy with the pick. I’m obsessed with defensive line depth… compare the Falcons 2nd half pass rush against Brady to the 49ers 2nd half pass rush against Dan Marino.

  35. Cassie
    Re: Casting Call
    John Houseman to play JPN
    Jack Thompson to play Houston9er
    Cheryl Crow to play 49erGirl
    Colin Quinn to play Boston49er

    Let’s fill out the cast.

        1. You’re kinda ‘Country’ aren’t you Scooter? Should we cast Paul Hogan?

          1. Nah, I’m a city boy. Though folks from Sydney and Melbourne still consider us Brisbanites as being pretty ochre.

            1. My spot, just north of SF was developed last of the early on. The barons put in a railroad up here and then abandoned it. They called us Coyote Country. We’re giving land to suburbia these days, but we’re the po’ cousins,of the Bay Area. Seb and Brodie are out past the urban reach. Coffee too; small town you’d like.
              Cheers

              1. Got it, Scoot. Rivalries between NorCal and SoCal, upstate NY and NYC, even I learned, snobby Lil Rockers and Real Arkansans and Ozarkians.
                We funny. Sports an outlet. (Appropriate) enthusiasm is good. LIVE your life!

              1. There is quite a rivalry between Queensland and NSW. Basically the east coast is where Australia’s biggest cities are (Sydney in NSW, Melbourne in Victoria and Brisbane in Queensland), and of those Brisbane is the smallest. So we are seen as the poor cousins, the backwards people by southern city folk that like to think they are oh so modern by comparison. :-P Its an exaggeration, but that’s the stereotype anyway.

    1. 49erGirl? Susanna Hoffs (Bangles fame), or Marisa Tomei.

      Cubus? Steve Buscemi

            1. Feigning ignorance.
              I personally never would have conceived Eastwood for you (on line persona), but somehow I got it.
              : -)

        1. Ahhhh…at least in the spirit of it all….good choice. I was bemused by the cantankerous personalities attributed to yours truly, but missed WC Fields and Yosemite Sam. Thought I could’ve hit those markers. Dated though.

          1. BT, I will give you a Vietnam War homage.

            You kinda remind me of Robert Duvall from apocalypse now. His best line was- ‘Ah the smell of napalm in the morning,… it smells like (sniff sniff) Victory’ ;p

      1. Sammy Petrillo to play Jerry Lewis playing Seb. Sammy did a better job as Lewis than Lewis ever did as himself. Just check him out in the Movie Bela Lugosi meets a Brooklyn Gorilla. Lewis had him blackballed because he was better than he was.

    1. Do you remember the AJ Jenkins fiasco? Even after we traded him as a bust to the Chiefs for their bust, he was ripping on fans and media while standing by the prior-year’s praises of Jenkins:

      In 2012: “I just want to update you on the status of A.J. Jenkins, that topic,” Harbaugh said. “A.J. Jenkins was an outstanding football player when he got here. His progress has been very, very good and exceeded expectations. For those scribes, pundits, so-called experts, who have gone as far to say that he is going to be a bust, should just stop.

      In 2013: Referencing the fact Baldwin, a 2011 first-round choice of the Chiefs, has been labeled an underachiever, Harbaugh said: “I know a lot of people have kind of made some sport of A.J. and Jonathan, and my comments and that type of thing. I feel the same as I did a year ago when I made those comments.”

      Seriously, anyone who believes anything Harbaugh says really needs to reset their BS detector.

      And Kelly… Well, he’s kind of the same. Not quite as big a jerk about it. But the same. Vick. Foles. Barkley. Sanchez. Bradford. And now Kaepernick. There’s a lot of bad NFL QBing on that list.

    1. I don’t think anyone is really projecting him to be a 3T in base though, for this very reason. DE in base, sliding in to DT in sub packages. Like Michael Bennett. Or like Justin Tuck used to do.

      1. I don’t think anyone is really projecting him to be a 3T in base though.

        Just the confused ones.

      2. Here’s where I’m confused, Scooter. I distinctly remember Michael Bennett time and time again beating Anthony Davis on the outside to pressure and sack Kap especially in the 2014 championship game. In order for him to beat Davis he must have played 5 tech or higher, no?

        1. Yeah, Bennett plays all over the line. As Grant has pointed out, in the Seahawks current (as in last year) base D he plays 5T. But in sub packages he will most often line up as a DT.

    2. The article projects Buckner there. I posted that quote because it said Thomas lined up there “a lot” at Stanford. This reminded me of the tweener thing.

      Thomas has bust potential.

      1. Every prospect has bust potential. Thomas has a great initial burst to go with very good strength and agility. Those guys typically find a way to be disruptive in the NFL. I’m not particularly concerned about Thomas’ bust potential.

        1. I’m not either, but all of the candidates at #2 have issues except for Adams.

          Does Thomas have the size and length?
          Will Foster and Hooker stay healthy?
          Will Allen’s shoulders hold up?
          Lattimore’s hamstring?
          Is Trubisky too raw?

      2. Busts are fact of NFL life. It’s four years later and we can evaluate 2013.

        Only 17 of the 32 1st round picks from 2013 are still with their original teams. Many are already out of the NFL. Only 2 of the first rounders have made multiple pro-bowls. And the Top-10 was especially bad:

        The #1 pick has been serviceable as a RT. You don’t draft RTs first in the draft.
        The #2 pick failed with the Jags and is now a Seahawk.
        The #3 pick is out of the NFL and started just one game.
        The #4 pick has been good, but is serving a PED suspension now.
        The #5 pick is the first pro-bowler on the list but…
        The #6 pick is now on his third team.
        The #7 pick is now on his fourth team.
        The #8 pick has only broken 500 yards receiving ONE (509 yards).
        The #9 pick started just 8 games and is unemployed.
        The #10 pick was a mediocre starter for the Titans and is now on a one-year ‘prove it’ deal with the Eagles.

        That’s the reality of the draft. Not the fan fantasy where every pick they would make is a future pro-bowlers/HOF/undiscovered gem and they constantly rip the GMs as ‘bad drafters’ when, in fact, all GMs (including Walsh) are ‘bad drafters’ to the impossible standards fans/media hold.

        There’s a reason the average NFL career is just 3.3 years… It’s because most college stars, great as they were in college, don’t possess the ultra-elite athleticism + skills + mental toughness required to succeed in the NFL.

        1. It also reflects on who is making those choices. Usually the worst teams get the top pick. One reason they are the worst is because they can not evaluate talent.

  36. So there is only one month left to pick up 2014 first-round options. Will the team pick up Jimmy Ward’s option?

    1. Its a tough question to answer. Normally it would be a no brainer yes, but new GM and HC plus expected position change may mean they want to hold off and see how he goes. If they do pick up his option I think that will be very telling in terms of how confident they are in his transition to FS.

  37. Grant, jees I thought we beat that horse to death. But he continues to live! Look, under Seb’s thinking and theory, Joe Montana would be a great signing also, if were going to base our analysis on what they did years ago. Shoot, what the hell, maybe we can take a look at Troy, Terry, Roger, Johnny, and a few others. CK has done nothing for more than 3 years. He’s 3-16 in his last 19 starts. He only succeeded for a relatively short period of time playing for one of the better teams in the league, if not the best, with a league leading rushing game and defense. Even with all that, he couldn’t bring them a title. Once they figured out his highly limited game, it was all over. The NFL has a way of doing that. Couple that with his career suicide sideline antics, and you get what you see now. An unemployed mediocre, pariah who will remain such. Can we move on?

  38. Honestly, I seriously think CK’s NFL career is over. But, if there was one team that I thought he could end up with, it would be Seattle. I don’t know much about the owner, but the area is generally liberal, so that might lessen the fan backlash that might take place in someplace more conservative. That covers the activist side of the issue. Then there’s the “skill set” side. Seattle still runs the read option, not exclusively, but it helps. They also have a running quarterback, though much, much better, especially throwing the ball with accuracy. They will have a strong running game. They always do, and their defense is among the top in the league. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him sign there, but I think it’s a long shot. Look to Canada CK!

    1. Juan, I have refrained from going to town and unloading my full arsenal.

      I will just say that I believe JH, Amy Trask, Chip Kelly and Richard Sherman over the peanut gallery on this site.

      You and Prime should be getting really concerned, the longer Kaep is being blackballed, the more the possibility Kaep may return.

      Guess you did not know this, but Denise likes Kaep. Last season, there was no way in hell that Baalke would have let Kaep return, much less regain his starting job. Chip preferred Kaep, but he was powerless because Baalke was in charge of the personnel, and Baalke intentionally shut down Kaep in the preseason so Gabbert would win the starting job.

      Who allowed Kaep to become the starter? Certainly not Jed. When it came to standing up to Baalke, Jed was a wimp. Only the true owner could have forced Baalke to sit Gabbert. Only the true owner could have insisted that while Kaep had to renegotiate his contract before he could play, the escape clause was put in over the vehement objections of Baalke. Baalke wanted to keep control over Kaep, so he could bench him and not allow him to play. Some grownup had seen enough, and made Paraag put in that escape clause, so now Kaep is free.

      Now that Baalke was fired, Kaep was amenable to returning, but he probably did not want the leaker around. Even though Paraag was just doing the bidding of Baalke, he still was the one who leaked. Lynch, by praising Paraag, just signaled that the FO prefers suits over players, so let the chips fall where they may.

      Where will Kaep land? My best guess is the Cardinals. Palmer has flamed out, so they will be looking for a new QB soon. Ariens has coached against Kaep so he will appreciate his talents, and probably is tired of an immobile QB getting sacked in the pocket.

      Broncos and Texans are obvious choices. John Elway may be kicking himself because he tried to lowball Kaep and his team missed the playoffs. Texans are probably going after Romo, so Kaep may be second choice there.

      I think Kaep nixed both the Browns and the Jets because of the owners. After Jed, he may have decided to become more discerning when choosing an owner. Those teams may be posturing that they do not want Kaep, but it is farcical to assume that Osweiler and McCown are superior to Kaep.

      Another possible landing spot is the Rams. Sean McVay is young and innovative. Kroenke wants to fill his stadium. Goff would do well by sitting and studying, while working out to get way stronger. Kaep would go to a team with a stout defense, Gurley as the RB, with Robert Woods and Tavon Austin as the WRs.

      Finally, a wild card in this situation is Jax. They may want to upgrade from Bortles. They do have a lot of talent due to their perennial picking in the top 5 in the draft, and Kaep may be the guy to forge them into a formidable fighting force.

      Still, Kaep does have the opportunity to return, because Lynch has left open the door. Wonder if Lynch and KS have thought it through. Maybe they should decide that they want Kaep playing for them, rather than against them. KS will look foolish if he spurns Kaep and he goes elsewhere and takes the league by storm, again.

      If Lynch decides to not re sign Kaep at his old salary, so he goes elsewhere, even though they have 70 mil in cap space, I will say he pulled a Baalke.

      Juan, you surmise Kaep may go to the Seahawks, but the Seahawks have a great QB in Wilson, while both the Rams and Cards have under performing QBs.

      1. Uh, Seb….Mr. verbose……must you be reminded that there is a place for brevity in the galaxy.

        You must be gearing up for more of my poetry……………………..these rants of yours, these conjecture’s of yours….make me very creative.

        1. Saw, I may start waxing poetic.

          Did not know we are on a word count.

          Do your best, but many have tried to out post me, and all have failed. Some have bitterly rued the day they even tried.

          Very creative? More like reactionary.

      2. I think you have to be a fool to believe anything Harbaugh (or any coach really) says about a player. I posted all the praise he heaped on AJ Jenkins back in 2012 up-thread. He wasn’t the only one, Roman was on that bandwagon too.

        Jenkins has a total of 17 career receptions and hasn’t been in the NFL the past two years.

        Kelly, of course, was fulsome in his praise of Vick, Foles, Sanchez, Barkley and Kaepernick. Maybe even Gabbert, but I’ve blocked that out. That’s a lot of bad QBing right there.

        And Sherman… Please… He’s another player who just spouts off. One year he’s trashing Kaepernick, but when the issue suits him, he praises the ‘loser’ he was trashing earlier.

        1. I think many are fools to believe posters on a blog site over an employees in the NFL. Me included, to be straight out honest.

          Sherman, who has played against Kaep, has way more cred, and I thought his comments were fair and balanced. He had no reason to say what he did, or an ax to grind. He was honest and insightful.

      3. No one really cares what you think, Seb. You are a boorish broken record, skipping forever in the same dull groove. And just as a lucid aside, CK will not ever be in a 49er uniform again. For anyone who can read between the diplomatic lines, both Lynch and Shannahan have made that quite clear. Only a dunce would imagine otherwise. And that “arsenal” you’re always threatening to unload? That amounts to a gasbag full of stale farts.

  39. Maybe a wild idea but if Fournette is a generational talent and our GM/HC think the same we can not pass on him this would get us a shot with trying to trade Hyde for Cousins or Jimmy G this would favor both teams who do the trade.

  40. Seb, your only convincing yourself with your long, unconvincing weak argument. You can put together forty paragraphs of justifications for yourself and it is still a house of cards. Completely without substance. Just rambling conjecture. What’s baffling, at least to me is most of what you put forth on this site is somewhat thought out, but then you have this weird, almost psychotic obsession with an unemployed former mediocre QB. Very puzzling. I’m not worried about him coming back to the Niners. Nobody is. It will never happen. He isn’t dissing the owners. It’s the other way around. They are blackballing him because he is a distraction that doesn’t have enough talent to overcome. I’m sure Kyle and John are losing sleep over the prospect of facing a lousy quarterback that has won 3 games in about as many years. I would imagine they are more worried about facing the actual starting quarterbacks of their opponents. The operative word in your last post is “could”. Would have, should have, could have. He didn’t. He could have won a SB. He didn’t. He could have won more than one game in eleven starts last year. He didn’t. He could have been signed before Josh McCown and Mark Sanchez. He wasn’t. Why we continue to talk about this has been is beyond me. Look at the bright side Seb, when he isn’t signed, you can protest that he was blackballed. Then, when the Niners lose a game, which they will, you can claim that they would have won if only. If he is signed, you can proclaim I told you so, even if he never plays. If he comes back and takes the league by storm, you can rejoice in righteous indignation. You will continue to stick to the mantra that you are right and everybody else is wrong, regardless of what happens. Like I’ve said before, you’ve got it covered. In your mind at least. Have a good night Seb. If we never discussed this guy again it would be fine with me. But it’s sure fun shooting (oops) your silly arguments down. Keep them coming.

    1. Juan, Thank you for stopping the name calling. It is refreshing to be able to calmly discuss a player without devolving and getting into the gutter. Notice that I have dropped the Gnomo reference, and now call you Juan.

      You may claim I am obsessing, I just claim to be a fan. Yes, you can claim he has regressed, my point is that the whole team regressed, too.

      You are right, he is currently unemployed. However, I think that some team will take a chance with him. This is a game of attrition, so some team like the Vikings will have their QB go down due to injury, and Kaep may land in a good spot.

      Yes, right now, Prime gets to crow, but they have yet to play a game, and many scenarios may unfold. I fully expect Kaep to play again, and hope he takes the league by storm, again.

      You may dwell on his worst games, I like to watch his highlight reels.

      1. You may dwell on his worst games, I like to watch his highlight reels.

        And that’s your problem. It’s also a big problem of professional scouting. Big plays stimulate the amygdala because they’re exciting. This excitement causes you (and scouts) to over-rate the player and you construct, based on these few, exiting highlights, a false world-view of the players capabilities.

        The big plays don’t factor in for me when I look the whole player. What I see is that Kaepernick is grossly inefficient and lacks the fundamental skills necessary to succeed in the NFL coupled with huge flaws.

        In short, he’s a bad QB who makes the big play and gets over-rated because of it.

        It’s like Crabtree. You see some great catch and think he’s got ‘good hands.’ (Or if you’re Harbaugh, the ‘best hands in the history of the NFL.’) Yet he’s got one of the highest career-drop percentages of any starting WR in the NFL and routinely is Top-5 in drops (even lead the NFL last year).

        The FACTS of Crabtree’s hands are there for all to see. But people like you see the highlights and think he’s got it going on. But you don’t see the poor routes, the difficulty in separation and all the **** drops… I do.

        Crabtree is mediocre. Kaepernick is bad. Yet people like you, looking at only the big plays, come away with the wrong evaluation.

        1. Its OK, every player has his moments, good and bad.

          According to you, Tom Brady, since he threw a pick six in a SB, must be bad.

          I will not defend MC for his drops, but he also caught a lot of balls, and helped the Raiders make the playoffs. He was also way better than the Niner receivers, so Baalke should have retained his veteran talent instead of trying to lowball him, and driving him away.

          Kaep, when he had good support, did well. When the team imploded, and was bereft of talent, he struggled. Just like posters who like to bring up the Rams game when the DB cheated up to the LOS at the last second because he knew where the play was going. The coaches called a play, and he may not have had the power to change the call, especially at the last second, but it sure looked bad because the Niners were so predictable.

          Maybe we will see if Kaep is bad, or was just on a bad team, with coaches who never utilized his skills, when he goes to another team and takes the league by storm. I think the latter.

          Some say Kaep is inaccurate, then he throws for 400 yards. Then they say he is one dimensional, and he throws for 300 while running for over a 100. Then they say he cannot convert third downs when many times, with his receivers blanketed, he uses his legs to convert a third down. They say he has no touch, while I watch him throw over the LB and in front of the safety.

          Now you say he is bad, while ignoring how bad the rest of the team was. What is worse, the coaching was not only inept, it was incompetent, while the GM forced the coaches to play players out of position, and play his favorites, while sitting on his hands and doing nothing to try and improve the team.

          It is easy to say that any QB of a 2-14 team is bad, or that a QB who has a losing record is not good. However, Kaep posted a 90.7 QBR while the defense gave up a historic amount of rushing yards. Breeze had a losing record, so you may call him mediocre, but he also had the number one offense, so I would call him elite.

          Now posters are saying that Kaep stinks, or is bad because he has not been signed, but I will be patient, and expect some team to sign him. If given a fair chance to compete, he will easily become the starter because he does have elite skills, just like JH says.

          1. Dude, he was one of three fool’s gold college QBs that had “likely bust” written all over him in such big letters that I didn’t want the 49ers to draft him:

            Kaepernick
            Locker
            Gabbert

            We ended up with two of them. With predictable results.

          2. Jim Harbaugh: “My prototypical quarterback is a competitive guy that’s a winner, somebody that has great athletic instincts, somebody who is very accurate throwing the football, a quick-minded guy who can think fast on his feet and can make decisions quickly, someone who has leadership ability, an understanding of timing and can make really good decisions.”

            About that Jim….

            1. Far be it from me to take away from the daily Kaepernick bash fest but has anyone ever gotten past their own perception and focused on what has actually happened? Harbaugh loves the guy, can’t say enough good things about him. Kelly the same. Players around the league have said good things about him. His teammates voted him the Len Eshmont award winner. Maybe…just maybe…there is a disconnect between some of the views and beliefs around here and reality. Just something to think about.

              1. I think that Kap is probably a swell guy one-on-one and he has some talent as you have rightly pointed out Rocket. I

                do not think he is what Seb has made him out to be, nor do I believe the hyperbole of Harbaugh when it comes to his play. At this point he is no better than a 2nd stringer and a limited QB. That’s it!

                I was never one that thought much of him as a QB even during his glory days but wanted to see how he progressed. I found it unfortunate how people piled on him for not being a good interview and stated as much. I do think he has regressed considerably and he has severe limitations on the field. Nevertheless, I hope that he can find employment and a reasonable opportunity to play again but it is up to him. His choice in agents has demonstrated a lack of maturity to some degree. And that also has to part of the equation

  41. My belief there are three reasons why he is unsigned as of now:

    1. Secretly being blackballed for kneeling 2. Lack of fit to team offensive schemes as a read-option QB; passers league 3. Teams waiting for the draft to address the QB position

    1. Blackballing is remains a pointless and silly argument. The list of teams that needed a QB at the beginning of FA was very short and blackballing (a silly conspiracy theory) explains nothing:

      1. Browns — Tried that with RGIII. Same player (who is also unsigned) as Kaepernick. In fact, RGIII might be a bit better because he has shown some ability to make half-field reads. Browns draft 1st & 12th. They’re likely to take a QB at #12.

      2. 49ers — The dude quit and is not a fit for the offense. We have someone who will know the offense AND can serve as a competent bridge/mentor QB.

      3. Bears — The signed a guy (Glennon) they entered into trade-talks over two years ago. They like Glennon. They want Glennon. They’re happy to have Glennon. He’s their guy. The guy they have wanted for years.

      4. Texans — Wrong fit and they are playing the waiting game. Draft is a possibility. Cutler is a better fit for their offense.

      5. Jets — Wrong fit. They run the WCO which requires a host of skills Kaepernick doesn’t have. McCown is their bridge QB to whomever they draft this year.

      6. Bills — They renegotiated Taylor’s huge balloon payment out of his contract and he’s their starting QB.

      7. Cardinals — Need an heir for Palmer. The draft is the way for them to go.

      8. Jaguars — Bortles is in his make or break season. They might draft a QB, but they’re not going to sign someone who doesn’t fit in their offense.

      Everyone else is fine. Even the Broncos who have Paxton Lynch.

      1. 1. RGIII is playing on one leg.

        2. Kaep did not quit on the team. He is just tired of being stabbed in the back, and KS told him that they did not want him. The retention of Paraag just affirms their choice of a suit over a player.

        3. Bears are delusional and desperate if they think Glennon is the answer. He is a lifetime 5-13 QB. They are penciled in as the cellar dwellers again.

        4. Wrong fit? All they need is a decent QB, who should let the number one defense win the game. Osweiler was so bad, they traded him away by giving up a draft pick so Cleveland would take him off their hands.

        5. Jets are about as dysfunctional as the Niners, and McCown is their bridge to no where. Just expect more dwelling in the cellar, and Kaep may not want to go there because of the owner. He is tired of non supportive front offices.

        6. Bills do have Taylor, but their support is luke warm.

        7. Cards will be happy with a spread rookie QB? Nope. They are also wanting to move on from Palmer because his skills are rapidly diminishing. Ariens has coached against Kaep, and may be smart enough to properly utilize his skillsets.

        8. Bortles is on thin ice. He is surrounded by high draft picks, and has not shined. Kaep may be a logical option for them. They have 53 mil in cap space.

        9. Paxton Lynch cannot even out compete Siemian for the starting job. Fine? Maybe you are ill informed, but when I read the Mile High report, the posters there were not jumping for joy when the Broncos went from SB champs to out of the playoffs.

        No matter what, some QB will go down to injury, and Kaep will be given a chance. Everyone else is not fine, there are several teams with inadequate backups, and this draft does not have elite QBs. Many say this is a weak QB class. There are also teams like the Chargers, Ravens, Giants and Saints with older QBs who may need replacing sooner than later.

  42. Maybe it is just a simple comparison – CK is the 49er equivelant to the Raiders Todd Marinovich. Lots of potential, but his game lacks the magic. He has overestimated his value to a league that prides itself on bang for the buck. A backup doesn’t command the money he wants.

    1. Agree. Player comments on other players mean nothing nowadays. I bet they even traded jerseys after the game. Watson’s low velocity on the throws and high interception numbers in college scare me too. He will look good if a great team is around him like Alex Smith. Maybe the Texans. Watson actually reminds me of Matt Leinart when he came out. Playing in the national championship games fog evaluations. Only Montana and Namith have won Super Bowls after winning college national championships.

    2. It’s 45mph. https://www.playerprofiler.com/nfl/deshaun-watson/ To put that in perspective, Ponder hit 51MPH. He washed out, in great part, due to his low arm strength.

      And despite the highlight reels, Watson is not a superior athlete by NFL standards to make up for it. He’s 78th percentile for QBs. Some other QBs:

      Kaepernick 93rd
      Ponder 92nd
      Smith 91st.
      Gabbert 87th
      Fitzpatrick 77th
      Sanchez 66th
      Dalton 44th

    1. I am glad for him. Wish him well.

      Now he can leave the game with his health, because he is fragile, and one hit away from being crippled.

      Noticed however, that some are speculating that he might come back if a QB goes down.

    1. That was awesome, thanks MWNiner! I pity the fool that passes on King Solomon!

        1. Mood, hadn’t seen that one. Thanks! No wonder his hands in the trenches look like weapons of mass destruction….

    2. No Seb the Falcons did throw away the SB to the Pats, with my trade idea our team would be better(QB and RB)and i dont give a damn about the Pats.

      1. Why do you think the Pats are shopping Garropolo? It is their modus operandi that BB learned from Walsh. Trade away players that will cost too much next season, and get draft picks to keep rebuilding the team.

        You may not give a dang about the Pats, but frankly, I am sick and tired of them winning SBs. Pats traded away Hoyer, Cassel and now want to do the same with Garropolo. The result is for the Pats to be a perennial playoff team. Maybe that would be a good strategy to strive for.

  43. Oh the folly! Good golly some goofy stuff keeps getting posted on this comment section. Too much to single out any one thing, but the source is recognized.
    Yeah, pretty sure front office types are checking in here looking for guidance.

  44. Houston has a problem now that Romo no longer wears a gun. We’ll take your 1st, 2nd and 3rd this year, as well as your 1st, 2nd and 3rd next year;>)

    1. Hmmm, my trade back scenario with Houston may be more probable. With no Romo, they may want to jump ahead of the Browns to poach the QB they covet.

  45. Seb likes his Montana comparisons to Kap, with Montana having a Jerry Rice, and Kap, not having one.

    Conveniently left out is the SuperBowl roster of Pro Bowlers on the O-line like Staley, Iupati, (C) Goodson via Saints, etc; WR’s like Crabtree, Boldin, Randy Moss, Tedd Ginn Jr.; TE’s like Davis, Delanie Walker (now a 1,000 yd / season TE with the Titans); HOF RB, Frank Gore, etc., etc, and Kap couldn’t score from the 1 yd line in 3 attempts with this group…That’s greatness isn’t it Seb ?

    Meanwhile, Montana took on a stellar University of Houston team with a case of hypothermia.
    Montana’s receivers that day ? Certainly no Vernon Davis at 265 Lbs and his 4-3/ 40 yd dash; no Crabtree, no Boldin, no Frank Gore, no Crabtree….Joe had…bang the drums….Split End–Chris Haines, Split End–Dave Condeni, TE–Dean Masztak,

    Montana won the National Championship with the offensive weapons Seb!!! Ever heard of any of them in the Pro’s….

    And Montana’s encore. Defeating doomsday in the NFC Championship game with Bill Ring at RB and returning Kickoffs vs Big D, and he still won a SuperBowl that year.

      1. Seb-skov

        He pointed out the lack of talent surrounding Montana–who made EVERYBODY look better than they were.

        You cant just see what you want to see, then call people names…..

  46. Well, anybody that compares Montana with CK is quite mad! That’s like comparing a Porsche to a Volkswagen. Is there any doubt in anyone’s mind that if Joe were at the helm in that last series in the SB that they would have been hoisting their sixth SB trophy? Not in mine. With Steve also, and probably Jeff. When it came down to it, he just didn’t have the talent. Too bad, so sad. He was a complimentary player on a great team that hid most of his flaws. Once that great team became a below average team, his flaws came to the forefront. That’s the film that GM’s watch now, his current status. It’s not very good.

    1. Juan, I was mainly talking about the supporting cast. Even Joe Montana would not have won last season with that putrid defense.

      Kaep was not throwing to Jerry Rice. He was throwing to cut FA third string WRs in the end.

      1. Case closed, Seb.

        As you flail about trying to re-direct the gist of TomD’s argument, the fact is incontrovertable-Montana did more with less.

        Snide remarks wont change it a bit……………….

  47. I dont think that my idea is that bad if both teams get a good deal out of it why not than?!
    With a quality QB and HB our team would be good.

  48. I agree Seb but to steal your line, Joe would have given them the best chance to win compared to CK, but nobody was going to win very many games with their depleted roster. On this we can agree.

    1. Joe might have broken his back trying to give the 2016 49ers the best chance to win.

  49. Kabong

    I will openly admit to being a Grand Lizard of the KKK-or whatever they call themselves….simply and only because I disagree with you.

    Come up with facts that are directly relevant to this issue. Then you might have something. But you look bad when you bear false witness against others.
    Kap hasn’t done Krap for several years-THATS a fact.

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