Five best fits for Colin Kaepernick

No other team is close when it comes to multiple crucial factors. The Ravens have the right scheme fit for Kaepernick’s talents, as he still has plenty of athletic ability and was a gifted runner during his time with the 49ers, averaging 6.1 yards per rush for his career. In fact, Kaepernick’s 6.8 yards per rush in his final season was almost identical to Lamar Jackson’s 6.9 figure from last season. Jackson carries the ball significantly more often, and is singularly gifted as a runner, but if Baltimore needed to replace him in a pinch, Kaepernick would be a better fit than Robert Griffin III, who, despite being two years younger, has never been the same as a runner since his rookie-year knee injury.

Of equal, if not greater importance is the fact that Greg Roman is Baltimore’s offensive coordinator, the same position he held with the 49ers for Kaepernick’s first four seasons. From 2012-2014, Kaepernick had 50 touchdowns and just 21 interceptions in 39 starts, and ran for 1,578 yards. If anyone knows how to get the most out of him, it is Roman. John Harbaugh’s status as one of the NFL’s most respected coaches further cements the obvious; Baltimore is the best destination for Kaepernick.

Houston Texans

Bill O’Brien’s efforts at roster-building have rightly been met with derision, but he could make a positive upgrade to his team by signing Kaepernick. Houston’s line has improved since Laremy Tunsil arrived, but Deshaun Watson still needs every bit of his mobility to avoid rushers, extend plays and make things happen. Kaepernick can do all of those things and function as the team’s best playmaker if he is forced into action.

O’Brien might be a bad general manager, but he has a solid reputation working with quarterbacks. What’s more, his public pro-kneeling stance, going so far as to say that he would kneel with his players, stands as a factor in Houston’s favor. Additionally, one of the most necessary components for a team looking at Kaepernick is the presence of an established starter to avoid any quarterback controversy. Like Jackson in Baltimore, Watson more than fits that bill.

Seattle Seahawks

Seattle almost signed Kaepernick in 2017, and head coach Pete Carroll said that he regrets not making the move. He could fix that with ease by bringing in Kaepernick to knock off the rust and learn alongside Russell Wilson, who is clearly established as a top-three quarterback in the league. The Seahawks have Geno Smith as a backup, but Smith has never performed at a high level at any point in his career, and doesn’t bring Kaepernick’s athleticism, dynamic qualities or resume to the table.

Seattle seems comfortable with Smith, but if the Seahawks are serious about improving their roster, adding Kaepernick and making the backup quarterback job an open competition would be wise. The Seahawks are a run-heavy offense, have a strong skill cast, particularly at wide receiver, where Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf are a duo on the rise. Plus, despite Wilson’s excellence as a pocket passer, he still makes plenty of plays in scramble situations, an area where Kaepernick would be adept.

Kansas City Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes has been vocal in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and his excellence makes the Chiefs distraction-proof. Matt Moore was one of the league’s steadiest backups last season, but Kansas City opted to sign Chad Henne to a two-year deal. Henne is much like Moore in that he’s a veteran game manager who can be counted upon to make the simple play. Kaepernick might not step right in as the backup quarterback were he to go to the Chiefs, but getting to work with Eric Bieniemy and Andy Reid would be good for him, and if he picked up the offense quickly enough, it’s easy to imagine him supplanting Henne and stepping in as Mahomes’ primary backup. Were the Chiefs to lose Mahomes during a crucial part of the season, Kaepernick could step in and thrive with Kansas City’s cast of elite offensive weapons.

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams would be a great fit for Kaepernick for several reasons. For one, the Rams are a high-profile team playing in a big market. Secondly, though Jared Goff had an off year in 2019, he’s still firmly entrenched as the starter. Perhaps the biggest reason why the Rams and Kaepernick would work is Sean McVay. McVay has taken Goff, a man of modest overall physical talent, and turned him into one of the league’s better passers. Goff ranks in the top-10 in Pro Football Focus grading when throwing to his first read. That shows that McVay’s schemes are good. It’s when Goff is forced to move off of his first read that he struggles, which suggests that he gets happy feet and is indecisive when thrown off-schedule. Were he pressed into duty, Kaepernick would likely fare better than Goff in those situations, and give Los Angeles an intriguing backup option. Blake Bortles, last year’s backup, is still a free agent. The Rams need Goff insurance; Kaepernick fits the bill.