Kaepernick a fine QB, but he’s no Sudfeld

The chance that Colin Kaepernick might be whiteballed back into the NFL took a hit when the San Francisco 49ers gave Nate Sudfeld a guaranteed one-year, $2 million contract to back up starting quarterback Trey Lance.

The 49ers may have been Kaepernick’s last hope for another shot at the NFL, as a leggy second- or third-stringer behind the leggy Lance. There are teams besides the 49ers that could use Kaepernick’s talents, but few would be willing to take the political risk. Many team owners fear the fan backlash that would come with signing Kaepernick, but the Bay Area, bless its heart, is not stuck in 1950.

When the 49ers opted out of their relationship with Kaepernick after the 2016 season, new head coach Kyle Shanahan explained that Kaepernick’s running style didn’t fit the coach’s offense.

Now the 49ers have a starter who can run, a play-extending threat. Kaepernick would seem to be a good fit as a backup. He’s got veteran experience, leadership skills, and is in his physical prime.

Shanahan let Kaepernick go in favor of journeyman Brian Hoyer and rookie backup C.J. Beathard. Hoyer started six games, lost the first five and was benched during the sixth. Beathard, in 12 starts over three seasons with the 49ers, went 2-10.

Shanahan was asked Monday if he still feels his backup QB should have the same basic skill set as his starter.

“I don’t,” Shanahan said, then added, “Nate might have the fastest 40 (-yard dash) of them all, so don’t sleep on Nate. But ... if we were going to build an offense around a complete running quarterback, then I would probably want our backup to be a running quarterback. I don’t see Trey that way.”

Shanahan said he wants Lance to develop standard QB skills, his running and playextending ability a bonus. Shanahan said the 49ers will give Lance some designed runs, “But I don’t expect that to be what we major in.”

Sudfeld, a sixth-round draft pick in 2016, has played in four NFL games and thrown 37 passes. He wears Kaepernick’s old uniform number, 7.

Update: Beathard, age 28, will be entering the second season of a two-year, $5 million contract as backup for the Jaguars. Hoyer, age 36, recently signed a two-year, $4 million extension as backup with the Patriots. Kaepernick, age 34, sits.

Deep thoughts, cheap shots & bon mots ...

Golf ’s lowest moment? That might be Thursday’s pro-am event before the LIV tour’s tourney at Donald Trump’s course in New Jersey.

It was the grand opening of the Saudi-backed tour’s second event in America. The stars of the show were honored exploitee Charles Barkley, Trump himself, and LIV marquee golfers Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.

The Washington Post reported that the U.S. presidential seal was plastered on golf carts, towels and other items, in violation of federal law. Oops. Sounds like someone didn’t get the word that Trump lost that durn election.

Barkley announced earlier in the week that he rejected LIV’s offer to make him a TV commentator for the circuit. No, sir, Barkley is not about to jump in bed with a murdering and human-rights-abusing government, unless the money is right.

“Of course it’s about the money,” Barkley said, subtly.

So the Saudis didn’t get Barkley’s signature, but they did get his tacit endorsement of their blood-money tour, and his charismatic back-slapping presence at their event, for free. Who says there are no bargains in sports?

Meanwhile, Mickelson was heckled from the gallery. Man, I’d hate to see what Saudis do to golf hecklers.

Kaepernick may have raised an eyebrow when reports emerged that the Arizona Cardinals inserted a mandatoryhomework clause in their contract proposal to Kyler Murray that they would walk back after an uproar. When the 49ers let Kaepernick go for nothing in March 2017, word had leaked out of team HQ that he was supposedly a slacker when it came to film study.

Kaepernick’s physical work ethic was unchallenged, but maybe someone inside felt that the new coach and GM could use some backup to justify getting rid of a QB who had a 16/4 TD/INT ratio the previous season, and was voted the most inspirational player by teammates.

Traditionally, the easiest underhanded way to discredit a Black quarterback is to whisper that he is work-challenged.

Poorly played, Cardinals.

Wonderful Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony last Sunday, but this voter passed on David Ortiz’s speech. Not his fault, but it’s ludicrous that so many voters honored Big Papi and rejected Big Pain-inneck, Barry Bonds. Many HOF voters, fellow sportswriters, mistook the vote as a popularity contest. Embarrassing.