Colin Kaepernick's Reported Benching Opens Rumor Mill In Philly
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Happy birthday Colin Kaepernick, you have been benched.
Kaepernick, who turns 28 on Tuesday, has reportedly been benched by the San Francisco 49ers for quarterback Blaine Gabbert creating speculation in Philadelphia.
Kaepernick is completing under 60-percent of his passes this season for the 2-6 49ers, and has thrown for a combined 286 yards and zero touchdowns in two straight double-digit losses.
Enter Chip Kelly and the Philadelphia Eagles.
In Kelly's fast-paced offense, new Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford has struggled through seven games in the new system. The immobile Bradford, completing 62-percent of his passes, has thrown nine touchdowns to 10 interceptions this season.
While Kelly has openly admitted he has always sought an accurate, quick-twitched quarterback, the 4.53 40-yard dash running Kaepernick has perked the interest of---at the very least---fans and media members in Philadelphia.
Happy "Colin Kaepernick to the Eagles trade speculation" Day, everybody!
— Patrick Wall (@ByPatrickWall) November 3, 2015
Colin Kaepernick to the Eagles trade speculation begins after 49ers bench him https://t.co/fKtyBwFcfV pic.twitter.com/HjB4JMrIhT
— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) November 3, 2015
Hypothetical: 49ers call tomorrow and offer Colin Kaepernick for a 3rd. You do it? #Eagles
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) November 3, 2015
It's certainly hard to forget Kaepernick's near Super Bowl winning run in 2012, but those days are seemingly gone. Kaepernick is regressing, hence his benching for Gabbert, and is ranked among the NFL's worst in completion percentage, touchdown passes, sacks taken, and rating.
The Rams aren't even bothering to cover 49ers receivers: https://t.co/aifZ3q0arM pic.twitter.com/Kgnall8hIG
— SB Nation (@SBNation) November 1, 2015
In the summer of 2014, Kaepernick signed a six-year extension reportedly worth about $114 million, including a record $61 million guaranteed. However, the structuring of the contract presents the opportunity for a team to save about $9 million on their 2016 cap hit if Kaepernick is released, or restructured, after this season.
Bradford, who turns 28 on Sunday, is currently playing in the final-year of his six-year rookie deal, worth about $13 million this season. 94WIP's Howard Eskin reported the Eagles, who are "not big fans of Kaepernick," offered Bradford a four-year deal worth $72 million this offseason.
Of course, Bradford declined.