Colin Kaepernick, who has not played in the NFL since New Year’s Day 2017, has taken a step back in football. Wednesday is working for the Las Vegas Raiders, according to ESPN and confirmed by CBS Sports NFL expert Josina Anderson. Training takes place at the team’s facilities with head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler, according to The MMQB.
The 34-year-old has not worked for any team or visited any team since the end of the 2016 season. which is generally believed to have put an end to his career. However, things may be about to change.
Kaepernick went 28-30 as a starter during his time with the San Francisco 49ers, throwing 72 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in 69 career games. He led the 49ers to a Super Bowl XLVII appearance to end the 2012 season and went 12-4 in 2013, but San Francisco struggled in its last three seasons there, including 1-10 in its early days during its last campaign in 2016.
Still, some of his career stats are impressive. Only 1.77% of Kaepernick’s passes have been intercepted, which is the fifth-best mark in NFL history among those who have attempted at least 1,500 career passes. He also ran for 181 yards in a playoff win over the Green Bay Packers in 2013, who remain the most in history for a quarterback in a postseason game.
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Kaepernick has been busy this offseason proving to the football world that he still has the tread on his tires and has said he is open to being a substitute. Most recently, he served as an honorary captain at the University of Michigan spring game and had a public half-time release session, which aired on television. Kap also worked with Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett and contacted head coach Pete Carroll to assess Seattle’s interest in joining him.
When asked what he hoped to achieve with public training in Michigan, Kaepernick said he was just looking for a chance.
“One shot,” Kaepernick replied. “Just a chance, a chance. You know, a lot of what we’ve heard is, ‘Oh, you haven’t played in five years, can you still play?’ Well, I had to go out, that’s part of the reason we’ve been doing all the workouts publicly, releasing them publicly.
“(I am) grateful that this is an opportunity that can lead to the next step and I hope that this door will open so that it can pass through.”
The Raiders are not one of the most needed quarterback teams in the NFL. Derek Carr signed a big three-year extension worth $ 121.5 million this offseason, and Vegas also signed Nick Mullens, switched to Jarrett Stidham, and picked up Cal’s Chase Garbers as an unselected free agent. Still, the Raiders are clearly interested in adding a veteran. A training session does not guarantee that the Raiders will sign Kaepernick, but this is a very important development for a potential return to the NFL.