These NFL teams are the Vegas favorites to land Colin Kaepernick
Colin Kaepernick will be working out in front of NFL personnel this weekend and many teams will be looking to check the football readiness of the free agent quarterback. Odds are already being placed at which team has the best chance to land Kaepernick — if he's offered a spot on a team and he decides to sign.
The NFL on Thursday announced that 11 teams would be attending the workout: the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins. The league said video of the workout and interview will be made available to all 32 teams.
The Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers are considered the early favorites to sign Kaepernick, according to odds at SportsBettingDime.com. The Bengals recently benched veteran signal-caller Andy Dalton for rookie Ryan Finley, who struggled in his first professional start. With several talented wide receivers on the roster, adding Kaepernick could help improve their 26th ranked offense.
SportsBettingDime.com has the team at 7/2 odds to sign Kaepernick, meaning if you place a $100 bet, you can win $350 for a total payout of $450.
The Steelers lost Ben Rothlisberger earlier this season to an elbow injury and started second-year quarterback Mason Rudolph in his place. Despite winning four games in a row, they could be looking for a more experienced player as the playoffs near.
Kaepernick has a 4-2 record in the playoffs, leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl and two NFC Conference games. The Steelers have a 4/1 shot to get him.
The Chicago Bears make for an interesting fit. Heading into the season with Super Bowl expectations, the team has struggled on offense behind third-year quarterback Mitch Tribisky. They have 12/1 odds to land Kaepernick.
There are some surprising teams — widely considered to be longshots — in the mix. Among them are the Dallas Cowboys, who are reportedly sending a scout to take a look at Kaepernick. Team owner Jerry Jones has been vocal about his opposition to the kneeling protests, so it seems highly unlikely that both sides would be a good fit. The gambling site has them at 50/1 odds.
The Vegas odds
- Cincinnati Bengals 7-2
- Pittsburgh Steelers 4-1
- Baltimore Ravens 6-1
- Buffalo Bills 7-1
- Oakland Raiders 7-1
- Carolina Panthers 8-1
- Houston Texans 10-1
- Chicago Bears 12-1
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12-1
- Arizona Cardinals 15-1
- San Francisco 49ers 16-1
- Indianapolis Colts 20-1
- Los Angeles Rams 20-1
- Cleveland Browns 25-1
- Philadelphia Eagles 33-1
- Dallas Cowboys 50-1
- New England Patriots 50-1
Las Vegas online gambling site Bovada is offering 17/4 odds that a team signs him this season and 1/8 odds he won't be signed.
"I've been in shape and ready for this for 3 years, can't wait to see the head coaches and GMs on Saturday," Kaepernick tweeted Tuesday night.
The quarterback's representatives initially requested the private workout to be on a Tuesday because coaches and general managers are often traveling or preparing for games on Saturdays, ESPN reported. That request was reportedly denied. His friend and former teammate Eric Reid called Kaepernick's workout a "PR stunt" for the NFL.
Kaepernick hasn't played in the NFL since the 2016-2017 season when he began kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice.
In 2017, Kaepernick and Reid filed a grievance against the league, alleging they remained unsigned because of collusion by owners following the kneeling protest. Reid would later sign with the Carolina Panthers the following year. In February, the NFL and lawyers for Kaepernick and Reid reached a private settlement for an undisclosed sum.
Justin Carissimo contributed to this report.
