Flacco injury could be good for Kaepernick
Baltimore is considering bringing in controversial ex-49ers QB
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — An injury to quarterback Joe Flacco might open the door for Colin Kaepernick to join the Baltimore Ravens.
Flacco missed the first full practice of training camp Thursday because of a back injury and is expected to be out for at least a week. Coach John Harbaugh said the team likely needs to bring in another quarterback and is considering Kaepernick, who opted out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers on March 3.
Kaepernick drew significant attention for not standing for the traditional playing of the “Star-Spangled Banner” before games. However, Harbaugh called Kaepernick a “great guy” and views him as a viable option in Baltimore.
“He and I have been talking throughout the summer a number of times.” Harbaugh said about Kaepernick. “He’s a guy right now that’s being talked about. We’ll just see what happens
with that. It will all be speculation right now. He’s a really good football player. As I’ve said at the owners’ meetings, I do believe he’ll be playing in the National Football League this year.”
There is some familiarity because Kaepernick played for Harbaugh’s brother, Jim, with the San Francisco 49ers. He led them to the 2013 Super Bowl, where they lost to the Ravens.
Kaepernick played in 12 games, including 11 starts, for San Francisco last season, throwing for 2,241 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions.
The only other quarterbacks currently in Ravens camp are Ryan Mallett and Dustin Vaughan, a second-year player from of Division II West Texas A&M.
Flacco threw for a franchise-record 4,317 yards with 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 2016, one year removed from season-ending knee surgery. Harbaugh said doctors assured him that Flacco’s injury is not long term.
“Everything looks fine for Joe,” Harbaugh said. “We’re taking precautions. I think for Joe, a week of rest here is not going to hurt our offense. It might help our offense in terms of developing some guys. I’d rather go that route rather than go the other route and push him.”
BRONCOS: Coach Vance Joseph’s first training camp got off to a rough start Thursday with word that Devontae Booker, who was pushing to unseat C.J. Anderson as the Denver Broncos’ starting running back, will undergo wrist surgery Friday and is expected to miss six weeks.
Booker suffered a hairline fracture during OTAs in June, marring a solid spring for the second-year pro as he bounced back from a rough rookie season that followed two knee surgeries.
The Broncos had been planning to split first-team snaps at training camp between Booker and Anderson, who is returning from a torn meniscus that sidelined him over the last half of last season, while Jamaal Charles slowly worked his way into action.
Charles, coming off two injury-filled seasons that led to his release from the Kansas City Chiefs this spring, has been cleared for full contact but the Broncos are being cautious with the 30-year-old free agent. STEELERS: Pittsburgh and left tackle Alejandro Villanueva have agreed to a four-year contract that will keep the former Army Ranger protecting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s blindside for the rest of the decade. MORE RAVENS: Baltimore offensive lineman John Urschel has retired from the NFL after just three seasons.
Urschel, a former fifth round pick from Penn State in 2014, received notoriety for pursuing his doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the offseason. PATRIOTS: Linebacker Dont’a Hightower and defensive lineman Alan Branch are currently on the physically unable to performance list and did light conditioning on an adjacent practice field as New England opened camp.
VIKINGS: Teddy Bridgewater says he hasn’t had any setbacks in his recovery from the massive injury to his left knee he suffered nearly a year ago in practice with the Minnesota Vikings.
The fourth-year quarterback spoke to reporters Thursday for the first time since he was hurt, marking the first day of training camp for the full team with a fountain of optimism about his progress.