The San Francisco 49ers have reportedly been shopping quarterback Colin Kaepernick around the league, and have drawn interest from the Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, and New York Jets.
Kaepernick reportedly has interest in joining new Browns head coach Hue Jackson in Cleveland, and the 49ers are looking for a second-round pick for their quarterback. The former second-round draft pick struggled during the 2015 season, throwing six touchdowns to five interceptions and posted a starting record 2-6 before being benched.
Despite the media circus that has followed Kaepernick's future in San Francisco all year, the 49ers are reportedly not opposed to keeping him for this upcoming season. If a trade can't be reached with either the Broncos or Browns in the next couple days, the 49ers front office is reportedly open to a quarterback competition between Kaepernick and 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert.
Gabbert played well down the stretch of last season posting a record of 3-5 as the starter, but was not able to solidify himself as the starter heading into this upcoming season. San Francisco general manager Trent Baalke is reportedly "extremely high on Gabbert," but newly acquired 49ers head coach Chip Kelly is "intrigued" with the idea of coaching a player like Kaepernick.
Kaepernick's athleticism could be a strong fit in Kelly's fast paced offensive system, but it's unknown if the 49ers quarterback would be receptive to staying in San Francisco, which could create more locker room issues should the 49ers keep him. San Francisco currently holds the seventh pick in the upcoming 2016 NFL Draft, and if either North Dakota State's Carson Wentz or California's Jared Goff is still on the board it wouldn't be surprising if San Francisco's front office selected either of them.
The 49ers are reportedly expected to pursue free agent quarterback Robert Griffin III should they trade Kaepernick, but at this moment nothing seems certain. The future of the quarterback position is clearly still up in the air in San Francisco, but the team still needs to fill holes on its offensive line and at the linebacker position. The 49ers finished in last place in the NFC West with a 5-11 record, and are in rebuilding mode heading into the 2016 season with their biggest question mark surrounding the quarterback position.
