Colin Kaepernick, who last played professional football in 2016, told reporters in April that he'd gladly accept a backup quarterback role in the NFL if offered the opportunity. And although the 34-year-old's chance of a comeback is still not guaranteed, one franchise has cracked open a door for him. According to reports, Kaepernick worked out for the Las Vegas Raiders on Wednesday, his first NFL session since the league exiled him for protesting racial injustices.
Raiders owner Mark Davis -- whose late father, Al Davis, championed diversity for decades as leader of the team -- told reporters last month that Kaepernick "deserves every chance in the world" to play in the NFL again. The team is set with Derek Carr as its long-term starter, as he recently agreed to a $121 million extension. But the invitation to Kaepernick means that Las Vegas is interested in discovering what he can still do. Regardless, it's a massive development.
"There's no dispute who the starting quarterback is for the Raiders -- and that happens to be Carr. But Kaepernick can come in, and if he has something left in the tank -- I believe he does, even for a man who's 34 -- he's going to have Mariota's old job," JR said during the JR SportBrief show on Wednesday. "And every now and then, you come in to change the pace, and then sit right back down. That's what it might look like...
"There's no guarantee that Kaepernick will get an opportunity with the Raiders after this workout. We don't know the results. But I can tell you, from watching Kaepernick with my own eyes -- I was at his workout in Atlanta in 2019, I had a front-row seat -- that man can still throw a football... And if there's going to be a team that brings on a guy -- who a lot of people might view as an outcast -- it'd be the Raiders... The Raiders would be an ideal fit, and I'd love to see it."
JR's complete thoughts on Kaepernick's potential comeback to the NFL can be accessed in the audio player above (segment begins at 10 p.m. ET mark).
You can follow the JR SportBrief show on Twitter @JRSportBrief, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.