Colin Kaepernick Will Prove He Belongs

It’s clear that Colin Kaepernick has tons of fans. Anywhere in the Bay Area, you can see someone sporting his bold number 7 jersey. Who doesn’t like that number on a stark red jersey? The guy even inspired the San Francisco 49ers to develop and release a black alternate jersey. Fans might say Kaepernick is too big of a draw for the Niners to cut loose. However, we all know that popularity is not the same thing as productivity.

Any professional sports organization must examine whether a player’s cost is worth the level of output and contribution to the team. Last summer, Kaepernick signed a six-year contract worth $126 million. That’s a lot for a guy who couldn’t cap off a Super Bowl appearance with a victory, right? There have been a lot worse signings in the league recently.

Let’s face it, who else would do well as the starter of the 49ers aside from Colin Kaepernick? The NFL is full of quarterbacks with “promise” who never end up becoming anything great. Then there are the elite QBs who spend their whole career on one team like Tom Brady. There has been a lot of talk on whether or not San Francisco should trade Kaepernick, but that would be an extremely foolish decision.

He wasn’t as good as Andrew Luck last season, but he certainly did not have a bad year. It’s ridiculous that people would speculate over hypothetical trades for Kaepernick. Is it not obvious the the 49ers’ organization has nothing but support and respect for their starting quarterback? It doesn’t seem like the team would have any interest in trading him. Trading him would make no sense at all. Kaepernick is highly talented, he knows the team’s system, and he clearly meshes well with the players. So why do some sports “analysts” entertain the idea that the 49ers might trade him for a far riskier player?

Some people might expect Kaepernick to falter this season, but they could not be further from the truth. If anything, he is more likely to perform far better than he ever did this upcoming season. It’s obvious that Kaepernick’s biggest flaws are his mechanics and accuracy, but he worked with Kurt Warner this offseason to perfect his game.

It just bewilders me that so many people are ready to write off Colin Kaepernick. In the words of Aaron Rodgers, fans need to learn how to “relax.” A potentially elite quarterback leads his team to an 8-8 season, and people want to run him out of town? Take a step back for a moment and reassess your football knowledge.

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Without a doubt, some people are surprised by reports that Kaepernick ranked number two in merchandise sales recently. Plus, he grabbed the one spot for female apparel. Honestly, that’s really cool news if your’re a fan of his. The guy obviously has an appeal to people, and he definitely is a big reason many current 49ers fans attend home games for the team. It’s safe to say that San Francisco’s management knows the value in retaining an incredibly popular player, so they wouldn’t trade him for that reason.

Of course, the money he brings to the team is just half of why he deserves to stay with the 49ers. Kaepernick is clearly at a point in his career where he is committed to becoming the best quarterback and leader he can be. Soon, he will prove that he belongs in a place among the elite quarterbacks in the league. There is simply no way that he won’t become a truly great QB considering how talented and dedicated he is to football and the 49ers.

In a recent ranking, Kaepernick was considered a “third-tier QB.” It’s hard to argue that with his middle of the pack numbers last season. However, it’s certain that he will use this as inspiration to prove all the doubters wrong about him. Kaepernick clearly knows the things he needs to improve. His dynamic speed and strength mixed with improved pocket passing will make Kaepernick a deadly foe to any team.

Next: The San Francisco 49ers Will Win The NFC West

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