The San Francisco 49ers could potentially move on from Colin Kaepernick this offseason and if the quarterback is traded or released, teams like the New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns could be potential landing spots.
Reports came out last week that Kaepernick wants to move on from the 49ers and that his "preferred destination" is the New York Jets. The New York Daily News first broke the story with Manish Mehta reporting that Kaepernick wants "out of San Francisco" and that he would like to land with the Jets. Mehta writes that the Jets are "intrigued" at the possibility, but that they remain in the "early stages of their offseason planning and evaluation."
There was some push back on those reports though, as Jason La Canfora at CBS Sports reports that the Jets "have not" had interest and "are not interested" in Kaepernick this offseason. While the Jets may not be a realistic option, La Canfora writes that Kaepernick leaving the Bay Area remains a possibility, as Chip Kelly "has done nothing to build a relationship" with the quarterback since taking over the team. La Canfora writes that Kaepernick has "wanted out" for "quite some time" and that a trade is "very likely" this offseason.
The Jets reportedly are interested in bringing back Ryan Fitzpatrick as a free agent and that could keep the team from looking into a move with Kaepernick. If the Jets are not a landing spot for Kaepernick, there are other teams that could potentially look into making a deal. The Cleveland Browns are moving on from Johnny Manziel and could be an option, while the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles also could be fits for the quarterback.
The Cowboys are expected to address the backup quarterback position this offseason after what happened with Tony Romo last year and Kaepernick could be a potential target. The team has been linked to Robert Griffin and Johnny Manziel this offseason, but ESPN Dallas reporter Todd Archer writes that he does not expect Jerry Jones to sign either quarterback. The Cowboys and Eagles have also been mentioned in reports about taking quarterbacks in the upcoming NFL draft.
Kelly is taking over in San Francisco and while Kaepernick is seemingly a good fit for his offensive scheme, there is chance Kelly will want to start Blaine Gabbert or draft a quarterback over using Kaepernick. After Kelly was hired, he was asked about the situation and said to the San Francisco Chronicle that Kaepernick is an "extremely talented football player," but he also praised Blaine Gabbert and was non-committal about using Kaepernick as the starter. Kelly called it an "attractive situation" to be in with the quarterbacks.