It's just been an assumption that Colin Kaepernick has played his last game for the 49ers. Unless he hasn't.
The embattled -- and injured -- quarterback is due $11.9 million if he is on the roster after April 1. He was benched after eight games and a 2-6 record, before it was discovered that he needed shoulder and thumb surgery. He also has a stabilizing rod in his left leg that he's had since he was a rookie.
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The 49ers can save $9.36 million in cap space if they release Kaepernick, according to OverTheCap.com via ESPN. Kaepernick just completed his second year of a seven-year, $126 million contract, but $61 million of it is guaranteed only if he is injured.
As long as he has a clean bill of health, the 49ers only owe him the remainder of his signing bonus, about $7.4 million, according to ESPN.
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But Kaepernick's athletic ability and demonstrated ability just 2-3 years ago of being a dominant quarterback could intrigue San Francisco's next head coach, whomever that may be. That comes in spite of apparent efforts by the team to disparage the quarterback, according to Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News.
"I guarantee you that any smart candidate -- anybody who should be at the top of the team's search list -- is going to want a clear explanation of what went on with Kaepernick this season.
"Cincinnati offensive coordinator Hue Jackson will want a truthful explanation of the 49ers' leaks and disparagement of Kaepernick, which, by the way, probably won't make (owner Jed) York, (general manager Trent) Baalke and (team president) Paraag Marathe look too good.
"Former Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly will wonder why 49ers management would go so far out of its way to disparage the most talented quarterback on its roster.
"Any good candidate is going to want to know if the team's relationship with Kaepernick is repairable, if he's scheduled to be healthy, and if they can pencil him in as, at the very least, a competitor for the starting job in 2016."
Kaepernick's athletic ability would seem to be a perfect fit for Kelly's offense, but that doesn't make him a lock to stay, either, The Press Democrat's Lowell Cohn argues.
"The idea that his athleticism is valuable to the 49ers is the grand illusion.
"I don't consider Carson Palmer a great athlete. Moves with the speed of a turtle. Or is it an Amana freezer? Not nearly the athlete Kaepernick is. Can't kiss his bicep -- probably doesn't have a bicep to kiss. But Palmer is a better quarterback by far. Not even close. Not even a discussion.
"Same goes for Philip Rivers, Drew Brees, Andrew Luck, Derek Carr and many more. Kaepernick's a better athlete than all of them. So what? Who cares? Give me those guys over Kaepernick every Sunday. Every day of the week."
The dilemma will make for an interesting choice among the 49ers' head coaching candidates. At the end of the day, that coach will have to ask himself whether he's willing to put his job on the line with Kaepernick.
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