Kaepernick ready to make preseason debut
SANTA CLARA >> Colin Kaepernick is on track to make his first appearance of the preseason for San Francisco on Friday night against the Green Bay Packers after his tired shoulder made it through a full week of practice without any limitations.
“Everything has been going great,” Kaepernick said Wednesday. “Everything has been going as planned. I’m excited to get back out there Friday.”
Coach Chip Kelly said Kaepernick looked good in practice this week and is expected to play barring any setbacks before the game. Kelly said no decision has been made on whether Kaepernick or Blaine Gabbert will start against Green Bay but Kelly said earlier this month that he planned to give both quarterbacks competing for the starting job a chance to play with the firstteam offense in the preseason.
Kelly said the final decision on who will start and who will play won’t be made until after consulting with the team’s head of sports medicine Jeff Ferguson on Friday.
Kaepernick, who lost his starting job to Gabbert last season, has had limited practice time. He missed the offseason program after undergoing surgery during the offseason on his non-throwing shoulder, right thumb and left knee. He resumed practice at the start of training camp but was not able to throw in practice from Aug. 11 to Aug. 22 because of a tired right shoulder.
But Kaepernick believes he still has a legitimate shot to win back his starting job.
“I’m going to go out and show everything I can these next two games to make sure I put my best foot forward to show this organization, this team, this coaching staff what I’m capable of,” he said.
Kelly said Kaepernick has had no limitations this week in practice and is quickly getting up to speed with the offense.
“He’s been sharp with all the things mentally,” Kelly said. “There’s always a little bit — when you take some time off from the physical standpoint — there may be a ball that was behind from a timing standpoint, but there’s no indecision where he doesn’t know where he’s going.”
It’s been a rough stretch for Kaepernick, whose career has plummeted since leading the Niners to the Super Bowl following the 2012 season and the NFC championship game the following year.