QB Kaepernick to work out for Seahawks

[May 25, 2017]  The Sports Xchange

The Seattle Seahawks are planning to work out free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick as a possible backup option behind starter Russell Wilson.

Kaepernick, waiting for an opportunity after almost three months on the free agent market, will work out for the team on Wednesday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The Seahawks also plan to bring in other reserve quarterbacks to work out, including Austin Davis.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said last week that Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III were among the free agents they were considering as a potential backup to Wilson.

Seattle currently has Jake Heaps and Trevone Boykin on the roster as backups. The Seahawks are not on the field this week, having been docked a week of organized team activities as punishment for violating OTAs rules a year ago.

The 29-year-old Kaepernick passed for 2,241 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions while fumbling a career-worst seven times with the San Francisco 49ers last season. He also ran for 468 yards and two touchdowns.

In six NFL seasons, Kaepernick has passed for 12,271 yards with 72 touchdowns and 30 interceptions, adding another 2,300 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.

Kaepernick opted out of the final year of his contract on March 3 before the 49ers were expected to release him. He was due $16.9 million in salary and bonuses in 2017.

Kaepernick drew a national spotlight last season for kneeling during the national anthem. He started the campaign as the 49ers' backup behind Blaine Gabbert before taking over as the starter on Oct. 16.

With Kaepernick under center, the 49ers lost nine straight and 10 of 11 overall to finish the season with the second-worst record in the NFL at 2-14.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell doesn't believe Kaepernick is being blackballed for his national anthem protest.

"Each team makes individual decisions about how they can improve their team. If they see an opportunity where they feel they can improve their team, I think they do it," Goodell said in his news conference Tuesday in Chicago at the league's owners meeting. "They evaluate their players. They evaluate their systems and coaches, and they all make those individual decisions to try to improve their team."

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