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That’s the message Kaepernick’s agent sent to 32 NFL teams via Adam Schefter Friday morning. Schefter wrote, “Kaepernick will be opting out of his contract, according to a source, becoming a free agent.” The source probably was the agent, Scott Smith. I called him to confirm but he didn’t return my message.
Kaepernick can’t officially opt out until March 2, and teams can’t sign him until the beginning of free agency. By leaking his intentions now, Kaepernick and his agent are trying to create a market that may not exist.
How many teams that need quarterbacks really are interested in Kaepernick?
The Niners aren’t. If he thought they were, he wouldn’t have opted out. He could make as much as $19.3 million next season under his current deal. On the open market, he’d be lucky to get half that amount and the money probably wouldn’t even be guaranteed.
So why does Kaepernick want to hit the market as soon as possible? Because if he stays with the Niners, they could cut him in June or July, and then he’d be screwed. The quarterback market would be picked over at that point — teams already would have their quarterbacks. Kaepernick would have to wait for one to break his leg or some other body part, or else he’d have to sit out a year. Those would be his options.
He needs other teams to put him in their plans right now. Needs them to watch his film and scout him and weigh his positives against his negatives.
Teams have been drooling over Kaepernick’s positives since he came into the league. Here they are: He runs fast, he throws hard and he’s tall. He’s a good athlete, although his athleticism is diminishing. He turns 30 in November. That’s one negative.
His biggest negatives are his words and his attitude. He’s addicted to himself. Has the “Disease of Me.” Thinks he has all the answers in football and society and life.
He thinks he can play quarterback devoid of mechanics and fundamentals, and he thinks he knows more than his coaches. He doesn’t want to change the way he plays. He wants to prove his recreational style works. Wants to prove the “haters” wrong. Everyone who disagrees with him is a hater.
Kaepernick also wants to lecture people on social issues he doesn’t fully understand. He sees himself as the next Malcolm X. And if you don’t think he’s the next Malcolm X, he sees you as a symptom of the problems in America. No one is enlightened like he is.
Kaepernick is not coachable. That’s because he’s the coach. He’s the expert. How can anyone turn around a quarterback who thinks he’s leading himself, his team and his country in the right direction? Bill Walsh couldn’t resurrect Kaepernick’s career.
Johnny Manziel has a better chance to turn things around than Kaepernick does. Manziel is an alcoholic, and he says he’s sober now. At least he admits he has a problem.
Grant Cohn’s Inside the 49ers blog
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