Colin Kaepernick Needs To Take Pay Cut To Facilitate Trade To Denver Broncos

The San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos have reached a stalemate in trade talks surrounding Colin Kaepernick, with the quarterback’s apparent unwillingness to take a pay cut holding things up. It’s hard to blame Kaepernick (and his agent) for holding that line as he recovers from three surgeries in the last five months or so, and the $11.9 million in base salary he’s due for this year became fully guaranteed last week.

A trade that would send Kaepernick to the Broncos is hardly dead, despite Monday’s assertion from Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole that it is, and Denver-based reporter Mike Klis backed that up.

Broncos trade talks regarding @Kaepernick7 still on. Just stalemated on who pays what of his $14.3M contract. #9news #9sports

— Mike Klis (@MikeKlis) April 4, 2016

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Broncos want to reduce Kaepernick’s base salary to $7 million for the 2016 season, with the 49ers picking up the remaining $4.9 million. It’s hard to see San Francisco agreeing to that, even if doing so would probably bring a better draft pick return in a trade.

In the land of non-guaranteed contracts, a recommendation that Kaepernick should forego fully guaranteed money would be bad advice. But he reportedly requested permission from the 49ers to seek a trade in late February, and in the game of quarterback musical chairs this offseason the Broncos are the only viable seat left. If it’s simply a question of money, Kaepernick’s best chance to work toward a long-term future as an NFL quarterback is in Denver right now. Taking a financial hit in the short-term, as hard as it is to do, would be well worth it if it means getting out of San Francisco.