Shanahan says he isn’t attached to Kaepernick
QB opting out, so he’ll be in mix with other options
INDIANAPOLIS — Colin Kaepernick has inspired strong emotions from many people, but Kyle Shanahan isn’t among them.
On Wednesday, the 49ers’ head coach said he will evaluate Kaepernick dispassionately once he officially opts out of his contract and becomes a free agent. Shanahan confirmed a report from earlier in the day that Kaepernick would opt out of the final year of his deal, a move that could be made as early as Thursday.
Shanahan’s reaction: Kaepernick will be lumped in with the rest of the free-agent options for a QB-needy team. Shanahan, new general manager John Lynch and Kaepernick met last week, and Kaepernick indicated he planned to opt out.
“He decided to do that, and it throws him into the boat that everyone else is in, which makes it easy for us,” Shanahan said at the NFL combine. “We don’t have an attachment to Kap. We look at him just like all the other guys that I’m looking at. It was good to get to meet him. And talk to him. But besides that, it’s like looking at film of him like everyone else.”
If Kaepernick didn’t opt out, the 49ers certainly would have released him rather than pay him a $14.5 million base salary in 2017.
Kaepernick has regressed since leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl after becoming the start-
er midway through the 2012 season. NFL defenses have caught up to the zone-read plays in which he excelled and his warts as a pocket passer have been exposed.
Of the 29 quarterbacks with 1,000 passing attempts since 2013, Kaepernick’s completion percentage (59.3) ranks 27th. When asked if Kaepernick would fit into his system, Shanahan noted he once tailored an offense to fit Washington’s Robert Griffin III, whose dual-threat skills are similar to those of Kaepernick.
However, Griffin’s career also has cratered since his brilliant rookie season in 2012 included plenty of then-novel zone-read schemes.
“What Kap did to go to the Super Bowl, I ran a similar offense in 2012,” Shanahan said. “And that’s the type of stuff that probably gives (Kaepernick) the best chance to be successful. But you adjust to anybody. Would we do the exact same stuff for him that we did in Atlanta? That’s different than what I did for other people. So with Kap’s skill set, if he was your guy, you would adjust to him.”
When Kaepernick officially opts out, the 49ers won’t have a quarterback under contract for 2017. Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder and Thad Lewis are all expected to hit the market when free agency begins next Thursday.
The 49ers have been widely viewed as potential trade partners with Washington for Kirk Cousins, 28, and with New England for Jimmy Garoppolo, 25.
However, Washington placed the exclusive franchise tag on Cousins on Tuesday and NFL Network reported the team had no interest in dealing him. On Wednesday, ESPN reported the Patriots were “not expected” to trade Garoppolo, who is a valuable insurance policy for Tom Brady, 40.
The 49ers could land Cousins or Garoppolo in 2018 without giving up draft-pick compensation. It will be prohibitively expensive for Washington to place the franchise tag on Cousins for a third straight year, and the two parties have been unable to agree on a long-term contract. Meanwhile, Garoppolo is entering the final year of his contract.
The 49ers have 10 draft picks, including the second overall, and a laundry list of roster needs after a 2-14 season. In addition, Shanahan and Lynch, both of whom have signed six-year contracts, have made it clear they patiently will rebuild the team and won’t chase wins in 2017 at the expense of long-term goals.
Shanahan was posed the question: Would it be prudent for the 49ers to wait a year so they wouldn’t have to surrender draft picks for a QB?
“That’s a very good point you just made,” Shanahan said, smiling. “All that comes into play. Yes, you have targets of people you want. But you have to be smart and value your initial needs to the organizational needs: the immediate future and the long haul. You’re always thinking of how to win now, but that can never be at the expense of the future.”