Colin Kaepernick open to backup QB role?

Colin Kaepernick is so eager to return to the NFL that he would be willing to serve as a backup role, according to a report.

Kaepernick has informed others that he would be open to a backup job in order to return to the league, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports. The prevailing thought had been that Kaepernick was only interested in starting again.

I'm told Colin Kaepernick has informed others that he's open to accepting even a back-up QB role–if* that's what it takes–to facilitate a return to the #NFL, per league source. "You have to credit Jim Harbaugh that he's willing to help his former player to try to get back."

— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) April 1, 2022

This may be an admission on Kaepernick’s part that the starting job he might want is not there right now. A willingness to accept a backup role may broaden the list of potential suitors, provided he demonstrates that he still has what it takes to contribute to an NFL roster.

Kaepernick has spent the better part of the last month lobbying for a comeback, and is set to continue that quest on Saturday. Whether anyone is more interested in him as a backup remains to be seen.

Photo: Dec 24, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) smiles after a 22-21come-from-behind win over the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports