Union optimistic on Kaepernick

Mike Jones

The NFL Players Association didn’t have a role in the orchestration of the workout the league will hold in Atlanta for former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, but union chief DeMaurice Smith sees the showcase opportunity as a positive.

“I would be stunned if he didn’t get signed because he’s good enough to play anywhere in the league,” the NFLPA executive director said in a text message Wednesday to USA TODAY Sports.

Smith has long supported a potential Kaepernick return to the NFL. During Super Bowl week in February, Smith called it troubling that Kaepernick remained unemployed despite an insistence by NFL officials that the quarterback wasn’t being blackballed for his decision in 2016 to protest police brutality against people of color. His decision to kneel during the national anthem drew criticism from many, including President Donald Trump.

Kaepernick, who led the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance in 2012, hasn’t played a game since becoming a free agent in the offseason of 2017.

Kaepernick has spent the last three years training and waiting for an opportunity. This weekend’s workout represents the first action the league has taken to ensure that Kaepernick returns to the radar of its franchises. In a memo to teams, the league explained that several organizations had contacted the NFL asking about Kaepernick’s physical condition and readiness to play.

The exact timeline of the league’s decision-making and planning for the workout remains unclear. However, the NFLPA was not consulted on the matter.

All 32 teams were invited by the NFL to attend, which will take place at the Falcons’ facility, and they have been told they will receive a video of the quarterback’s on-field work and interview.