The 49ers have made the decision to bench Colin Kaepernick in favor of Blaine Gabbert, and there is some speculation that the timing could indicate that San Francisco is trying to trade its former NFC champion quarterback.
As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes, it is somewhat odd that the Niners have decided to bench Kaepernick one week before their bye rather than allowing him a chance to bounce back against a struggling Atlanta Falcons team at home. While the team has not officially announced the switch to Gabbert, the news was almost certainly leaked to multiple major news outlets by someone within the 49ers organization.
One theory is that the Niners are working on trading Kaepernick before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. trade deadline. They showed they could be entering a rebuilding phase when they shipped Vernon Davis to the Denver Broncos for multiple late-round draft picks on Monday. Plus, we recently shared a report with you that indicates Kaepernick’s teammates want him out.
Of course, all NFL trade rumors start with Chip Kelly. With the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense struggling, some have wondered if Kaepernick and his running ability would be more suited for Kelly’s fast-paced scheme.
Any trade for Kaepernick would almost certainly involve a restructuring of his inflated contract, which the Niners can get out from under if they trade or release him before April 1. Kaepernick’s $11.9 million base salary for 2016 becomes guaranteed on that date, and he has more than $30 million guaranteed for injury from 2016-2018. No team is going to pay him that given the way he has played.
