Colin Kaepernick rumors have been heating up again of late, with the blackballed quarterback signaling he is still very much interested in returning to the NFL.
On Wednesday, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll spoke about the possibility of Kaepernick making a comeback in Seattle -- as the team seems to have a need at the quarterback position and has previously expressed interest in signing the former 49ers signal-caller.
Speaking with reporters during a Seahawks press conference, Carroll revealed that Kaepernick recently contacted him, according to Aron Yohannes of The Oregonian.
Carroll asserted that Kaepernick deserves another opportunity in the NFL -- "it's second chance time," he said -- but seemed to skirt around the possibility of it happening in Seattle.
Per Yohannes:
“I thought about another guy,” Carroll said while explaining how NFL free agency provides second chances for players. “You can ask questions about Colin Kaepernick. I know. You’re going to ask me, so let me just put it out there. He contacted me the other day. Said, ‘Hey, I’d like to get a shot. I’m working out.’ He sent me some videos. Next thing I know, he’s working out with Tyler Lockett. I don’t know how that happened. Does that guy deserve a second shot? I think he does. Somewhere. I don’t know if it’s here. I don’t know where it is. I don’t know if it’s even in football. I don’t know.”
Carroll has previously said that the Seahawks worked out Kaepernick in 2017 and nearly signed him, but were unable to owing to roster considerations.
This month, Kaepernick has appeared to be ramping up his workouts. Last week he posted a video captioned "still working," with ESPN's Adam Schefter later reporting that the football star and civil rights activist is "in the best shape of his life" and "ready to play."
Kaepernick later worked out with Seahawks star wide receiver Tyler Lockett, as Carroll noted, in a move that stirred further speculation about a possible return in Seattle. Afterward, Lockett deemed Kaepernick "ready."
The California native and former Nevada Wolf Pack star has been out of the league for five years, but he appears to be pressing his case more strongly now than at any time during that stretch, perhaps aside from a league-organized workout in 2019.
A lot has happened since then, however, including in 2020 when Commissioner Roger Goodell urged teams to sign Kaepernick and admitted that the league had mishandled the Kaepernick-inspired peaceful player protests during the playing of the national anthem.
Carroll on Wednesday denied that the Seahawks were in rebuilding mode, asserting that he is still focused on winning now despite trading star quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos.
The Seahawks acquired Drew Lock in the Wilson deal, so it seems quite feasible that Kaepernick could compete for a job somewhere on the depth chart, if not starter, if given the chance.
Related
