Colin Kaepernick to work out with Seattle Seahawks
Thursday 15 June 2017 14:43, UK
Colin Kaepernick's hopes of finding a team before the start of the new NFL season have picked up with the news that he is to work out with Seattle Seahawks.
Widespread reports including NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport have confirmed that the former San Francisco quarterback has met with the Seahawks who are seeking a back-up to Russell Wilson.
Kaepernick has been without a team since opting out of the final year of his contract with the 49ers in March and has been awaiting interest as he looks to kickstart his career.
Seattle coach Pete Carroll confirmed last week that Robert Griffin III and Kaepernick were among the options being considered and with widepread reports confirmed Kaepernick's visits to the Pacific North West this week it would appear the 29-year-old is in the box seat.
Trevone Boykin is the current back-up to Wilson and Carroll is seeking experienced cover for his number one signal-caller with off-field issues hampering Boykin in the off-season and Kaepernick will work out over the coming days.
After three months on the free agent market, it's the first move towards a team for the new NFL season for Kaepernick who drew global attention last season for kneeling during the US national anthem in a protest move.
Over six career NFL seasons Kaepernick has thrown for 12,271 yards with 72 touchdowns and 30 interceptions while running for 2,300 yards and 13 touchdowns, but his career had fallen away since leading the 49ers to the 2012 Super Bowl where they were beaten by Baltimore.
The 49ers lost 10 of 11 games with Kaepernick under centre, including a run of nine successive defeats and they finished with the NFL's second-worst record (2-14) while he threw for 2,241 yards and 16 touchdowns as well as four interceptions and a career-high seven fumbles. He also ran for 468 yards and two touchdowns.
A host of other quarterbacks have got themselves fixed up with new teams which had led to suggestions Kaepernick was being 'blackballed' by owners due to his anthem protest.
Those suggestions were played down by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell earlier this week in Chicago: "Each team makes individual decisions about how they can improve their team. If they see an opportunity where they feel they can improve, I think they do it.
"They evaluate their players. They evaluate their systems and coaches, and they all make those individual decisions to try to improve their team."
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