The San Francisco 49ers pushed the reset button, firing Trent Baalke and Chip Kelly following a dismal season. With the changes, disgruntled quarterback Colin Kaepernick may just be back next season if the new top brass finds him a key piece in the rebuild.
Team owner Jed York made the big moves recently, reasoning out that both Baalke and Kelly failed to live up to his and the fans expectations, USA Today reported. Of the two, Baalke was expected to be dismissed while Kelly’s firing was seen as a surprise move.
Kelly is a proven NFL coach and was only his first year with the 49ers. Considering however that San Francisco had a competitive roster, a 2-14 mark was simply hard to justify even if the blame was seen by most as not totally the 53-year-old coach’s fault.
Players like Torrey Smith believed Kelly was a good coach but understands that all of this is part of business. But the sentiments may not be the same with Colin Kaepernick.
After initially losing his starting post to Blaine Gabbert, Kaepernick was unable to recall the same genius that made him a hit. NFL trade speculations plagued the 29-year-old’s season but nothing came close to materializing.
Kaepernick was expected to walk in the offseason, someone other NFL teams will likely try to court. Worth considering, however, is that no other team may be able to offer him the same contract the 49ers hold. The Milwaukee native will be owed $14.5 million next season is he stays put, Niners Wire reported.
With Baalke and Kelly out, there is a chance that Kaepernick may stick around. That move may not be in his hands but to the new general manager and coach taking over. The 49ers have 11 picks to use in the 2017 NFL Draft so the roster may be due for heavy evaluation in the coming months.
For Kaepernick, the contract could be a problem with the 49ers likely to use their team salary budget wisely. Depending on the free agent and rookies available, his future with the 49ers may be the last item on the agenda.
The video below covers the latest NFL news from the San Francisco 49ers camp.