While the competition between Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert has not really heated up yet, 49ers coach Chip Kelly already has some views on them, and it might not be great news for Kaepernick.
Kelly appeared on 95.7 The Game in San Francisco and gave his assessment of his two quarterbacks. The verdict? They’re not all that different after all.
“When you’re looking at both those guys, I think they’re similar,” Kelly said, as transcribed by David Fucillo of Niners Nation. “They have a similar skill set. They’re both 6’4 plus. They both can really run, which will help keep plays alive. Obviously we’re not a quarterback-run offense, but if the quarterback can run, you can use a little of that to your advantage. And they both have extremely strong arms. So, from a skill set standpoint, the two of them are kind of cut out of the same mold.”
This can easily be read as bad news for Kaepernick, who was once rather far out of Gabbert’s league. Injuries have prevented Kaepernick from challenging for the job so far, and despite all the assurances that he will be able to once he can practice, Gabbert is only getting more and more comfortable and further ahead with each passing day, not to mention taking control of the offense. If the two are as similar as Kelly thinks they are, it stands to reason that the more prepared, more advanced player has the inside track on the job, though the team has insisted that that isn’t the case. Right now, thanks to Kaepernick’s injury, the better prepared quarterback simply has to be Gabbert, and the 49ers may want it that way anyway.
H/T ProFootballTalk
