Colin Kaepernick Makes Right Choice And Reports To San Francisco 49ers' Offseason Workouts

Since they have a new head coach, the San Francisco 49ers can and will start their offseason program on Monday. How much benefit there is to that extra work can be debated, but what can’t be questioned is Colin Kaepernick‘s lack of a future with the franchise. A trade with the Denver Broncos seems on track to happen at some point, despite conflicting reports over the weekend, with some restructuring of Kaepernick’s $11.9 million base salary for this year as the biggest factor.

Kaepernick has every incentive to report to the 49ers’ offseason workouts, with a $400,000 bonus due to him if he participates in 90 percent of the OTA sessions. According Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, Kaepernick will indeed report on Monday.

Strictly under the idea that he may not be fully recovered from three surgeries since November, Kaepernick’s presence is sure to annoy the 49ers if he can’t work at full capacity. But beyond that, if lingering rumors new head coach Chip Kelly does not want him are true, Kaepernick’s presence will be an even greater annoyance to an organization that continues to be dysfunctional on a high level.

It’s possible Kelly and Kaepernick have a meeting of the minds and figure out the QB’s potential role, since shy of a draft pick stepping in immediately Blaine Gabbert would probably be the 49ers’ starting quarterback come Week 1. But the issues with Kaepernick and the 49ers go above his fit with a new head coach and precede Kelly’s hiring, so a one-on-one meeting may not even happen.

Kaepernick was in Colorado meeting with John Elway last week, where he is also rehabbing, and social media feeds showed him getting on a flight to San Francisco and ultimately arriving. Kaepernick is not without a role in this situation, since his poor performance on the field was the first domino that has driven a possible exit from San Francisco. But I admire his fortitude in arriving for the 49ers’ offseason workouts and putting the ball back into the court of general manager Trent Baalke and owner Jed York.