Colin Kaepernick: After A Horrible 2015, Can He Save His Career?

Colin Kaepernick had an absolute nightmare of a season in 2015. With a new head coach in Chip Kelly, can he save his career?

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Colin Kaepernick was Jim Harbaugh‘s hand-picked quarterback when he coached the San Francisco 49ers. Unfortunately for the fans and Kaepernick, he was forced out and replaced by an incompetent Jim Tomsula. A poor offensive game plan that didn’t play to the quarterback’s strengths combined with a huge regression led to Kaepernick’s benching in Week 9.

Adding injury to insult, it was later announced that the former starter would undergo surgery on his shoulder and more recently, has undergone surgery and a separate procedure for his thumb and knee respectively.

Just three years removed from running his way into the Super Bowl and into San Francisco’s heart, Kaepernick hit rock bottom. His “team friendly” deal makes it easy for the 49ers to cut him if they can’t find a home for him via trade. It seems that Kaepernick was owner Jed York’s scapegoat for the year. The divorce seemed more like a probability than a possibility.

Enter Chip Kelly.

After firing Tomsula, the 49ers quickly hired the former Philadelphia Eagles head coach. Kelly has made a living running an up-tempo offense. He wants his offense to move quickly. Most notably, Chip Kelly likes having an athletic quarterback who can use his legs to make plays.

Enter Colin Kaepernick.

It’s become clear that Kelly likes Kaepernick. Many–including Ron Jaworski— suggested that Kelly, as the decision maker in Philly, should have traded for the 49er’s embattled quarterback. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported that Kelly would have looked into trading for the quarterback wherever he landed.

As he plotted potential moves & his next @NFL stop, Chip Kelly was trying to figure out how to trade for/sign Colin Kaepernick. No need now.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 14, 2016

So now the question is — can Kaepernick’s career be saved?

After looking like he would have the 49ers in title contention every year, Kaepernick’s regression has made him nearly unrecognizable. He’s not the same player he was under Harbaugh. His once promising career is on a collision course with irrelevancy. Confidence clearly played a factor as he looked hesitant and scared throughout the season.

Perhaps Kelly and his high speed offense can restore that.

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At his best, Kaepernick was the fastest running quarterback in the league. His combination of size and speed made it difficult for anyone to take him down once he got going. His arm strength is incredible, possessing the ability to launch it downfield to a deep threat with relative ease.

Kaepernick’s accuracy– which Kelly as said he values — and awareness leaves a lot to be desired though, especially considering how much both have regressed.

There’s no guarantee Kaepernick will be on the roster come next season, let alone be the starter. But his fate is not as foregone of a conclusion as it once seemed. Blaine Gabbert isn’t the long term answer. If the 49ers choose to draft Cal quarterback Jared Goff — if he drops to seven — may not be the franchise quarterback some think he is either. Kelly could lobby to retain the athletic quarterback. He could utilize him like he did Marcus Mariota and Michael Vick.

If anyone can save Kaepernick’s career, it’s Kelly.

On the other side of that same coin, Kaepernick may be the only one who can save Kelly’s NFL career. He’s coming off a poor year in which his decisions were heavily scrutinized. Furthermore, he was criticized all season long by many of his former players including LeSean McCoy. Kelly has to repair his image and prove that his style can be successful in the National Football League.

Next: 49ers Draft Options

Kaepernick has won too many big games with impressive performances to be as bad as he was in 2015. He was a Michael Crabtree pass away from winning a Super Bowl and another one away from returning to it the next year. Perhaps an opportunity under Chip Kelly with a healthy Carlos Hyde and hopefully, an improved offense line can rekindle some of that magic.

If Kaepernick can’t figure it out this season, whether it’s under Chip Kelly in San Francisco or somewhere else, then his days in the NFL are numbered.

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