Colin Kaepernick to the Patriots? Maybe, but probably not
After helping Colin Kaepernick reach a settlement in his NFL collusion case, Kaepernick’s attorney suggested New England as a potential landing spot for his client.
Until and unless legendary Patriots quarterback Tom Brady discovers the real-life Fountain of Youth, or starts aging in reverse like Benjamin Button, the fact remains he will one day walk away from football. Brady claims that day won’t be for another two or three years, provided he doesn’t suddenly start to “suck.” And based off his latest accomplishment at the age of 41 (winning a record-breaking sixth Super Bowl championship), it’s probably a good idea to take him at his word.
Still, Patriots fans have to begin thinking about the future at some point. Head coach Bill Belichick was reportedly already considering life post-Tom back in 2017, until team owner Robert Kraft stepped in on Brady’s behalf and coerced Belichick to ship Brady’s heir apparent, Jimmy Garoppolo, off to San Francisco. Sooner or later, Brady’s going to retire from football; and then the Patriots will have to figure out who steps in next to fill the biggest shoes on the planet.
Enter… Colin Kaepernick?
According to Kaepernick’s attorney, Mark Geragos, the Patriots are one of two teams he could see his client ending up on during the offseason (the other being the Carolina Panthers). Geragos cited Kraft specifically when mentioning he “wouldn’t be surprised” if Kaepernick ended up in New England. For what it’s worth, Kraft is a noted advocate for social justice and a prominent member of the newly-founded Reform Alliance.
Would that be enough to earn Kaepernick a ticket to Foxborough, though? The former 49ers quarterback is still young and arguably in the prime of his career at 31, even though he hasn’t taken a professional football snap since 2016. Fresh off reaching a settlement in the collusion case he filed against the NFL along with former teammate Eric Reid, it’s readily apparent that Kaepernick’s next challenge will be finding a team willing to take a chance on him again.
Geragos spoke more convincingly of the odds favoring Kaepernick reuniting with Reid on the Panthers; though a lot of that depends on just how healthy or hurt current Carolina QB Cam Newton really is with his shoulder.
His odds of joining the Patriots should be considered more of a long shot. While New England obviously needs to start thinking sometime about the future face of their franchise, the prevailing thought is that they should find someone younger in the draft who they can sit and groom behind Brady in his final twilight years.
dark. Next. Which Patriots had the biggest impact on the 2018 season?
Besides, the Patriots already have a capable veteran backup in Brian Hoyer that just helped them win the Super Bowl. Kaepernick is unquestionably more talented than Hoyer and possesses a higher upside, but with the way Brady conditions, maintains, and protects his body, you have to think that Hoyer’s brain and experience outweigh his physical limitations and make him a better Brady backup than Kaepernick.
It’s not impossible to imagine the Patriots taking a chance on Kaepernick, but at least the way things stand right now, it remains highly unlikely at best. He’d be better suited in Carolina – especially if Newton’s not 100% by the time the 2019 season rolls around.