Despite all the offseason accolades on Colin Kaepernick's newfound passing skills, the NFL has the audacity to remain unconvinced until he shows improvement during actual games.
ESPN.com ranked the league's 32 starting quarterbacks, also classifying them into tiers. Not surprisingly, Kaepernick dropped a tier from ESPN's 2014 rankings, thanks to his worst season as a starter.
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The San Francisco 49ers quarterback was classified in the third tier, which the website described as:
"Tier 3 are quarterbacks who are good enough to start but need lots of support, making it tougher to contend at the highest level."
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Last year, he was a Tier 2 quarterback and was ranked 14th: "Tier 2 QBs are less consistent and need more help, but good enough to figure prominently into a championship equation." Kaepernick proved as much, leading the 49ers to three straight NFC Championship Game appearances, as well as a spot in Super Bowl XLVII.
The other two tiers from ESPN are:
"Tier 1 quarterbacks can carry their teams week after week and contend for championships without as much help.
"Tier 4 is typically reserved for unproven starters or those who might not be expected to last in the lineup all season."
An anonymous personnel director discussed his views on Kaepernick's play in 2014.
"[Jim] Harbaugh allowed him to get exposed a little by trying to have him win, to be the centerpiece of the offense instead of what he does naturally -- running," the personnel director said. "He showed his arm strength, but also his inaccuracy as a thrower. That is not going to get better. He cannot be a 2 by being a dropback QB."
Ninersnation.com reflected on last year's ESPN report, noting the quarterback's failure to advance in stature.
"In discussing Kap a year ago, the insiders stated they wanted to see more from him in reading defenses and playing within the pocket. It is no surprise then that he would drop on the list following an ugly 2014 season. Kap did some things well, but he struggled in some areas. And if the insiders were looking for more from him in reading defenses and playing in the pocket, 2014 was not going to provide them the kind of satisfaction they required."
Kaepernick, who was sacked 52 times in 2014, trained in the offseason with quarterbacks coach Dennis Gile and two-time NFL MVP quarterback Kurt Warner to address several of the deficiencies noted in the evaluation. Teammates and analysts have lauded the changes they've seen from him in the offseason.
But the real test for the Niners quarterback begins in September, when defenses will put him under duress and his new passing skills and decision-making process are on display.
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