The last time Colin Kaepernick threw a pass in an NFL game was near the end of the 2016 season. It’s been six years since the Nevada product was blackballed from the game due to his political and social stances. This article is not the place to go into detail about what is painfully clear from the fact that almost no team wants the former Conference Champion quarterback. Let’s focus on the news that the Las Vegas Raiders have had Kaepernick in for a workout, the first legitimate opportunity for him in a few years.
This is a new Raiders regime
This is a new regime, but they’ve already proven they aren’t afraid to roll the dice to improve the roster. Owner Mark Davis has stated on multiple occasions that he would welcome Colin to the franchise with open arms if the current brain trust saw him fit to compete.
This was stated as far back as 2020, when former coach Jon Gruden still had the reins. However, he and former general manager Mike Mayock were too busy using first round picks on Damon Arnette to sully the good name and high-character locker room they were constructing for a heathen such as Kaepernick.
Beyond the truth of the matter that teams wouldn’t touch Colin with a 10-foot pole in fear of total alienation from their fanbases (which says a lot about NFL fanbases), those who firmly support the quarterback in his quest to reclaim a roster spot would be well suited to temper their expectations as well.
Would Al Davis approve?
Would Kaepernick embody what a Raider is? Al Davis would say yes. Would his jersey sell like wildfire due to the large number of admirers he still holds and the idiots that will buy his gear just to burn it on social media (that’ll show ’em)?
Without question, he would be no more than a solid backup at this point in his career.
In 2016, Kaepernick wasn’t what you would call a revelation for the Niners. He only completed 59% of his passes in the 12 games he appeared in. Then, he lost his job to Blaine Gabbert. Whether you believe San Francisco put him in the best position to succeed or not, he still seemed to have lost a great deal of the magic he had in 2013. He’s now 34 years old and long removed from the daily grind of the game.
That being said, the current quarterbacks behind Derek Carr on the depth chart aren’t exactly the most inspiring bunch. If deemed capable following his tryout with the team, Kaepernick would far and away be the best option to back up Carr, a battle-tested veteran that has won his share of big games. At the very least, he could keep the beloved “Mariota Packages” alive. As a result, creating confusion and diversifying the ground attack in the red zone.
Stop looking at Kaepernick through the lens you currently view him through; odds are you’re totally overshooting the mark. He’s not a fascist, cop-hating, anti-American. He’s not the same quarterback that won 12 games in 2013 either. Kaepernick is a serviceable veteran looking for his shot to return to the sport he loves. And he still has the goods to do so.
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*Top Photo: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images