Kaepernick has a couple of options when it comes to his NFL future. He is expected to void the remainder of the contract that he reworked in October and become a free agent in March. That would allow him to test the market and possibly choose a new home.
The second scenario would have Kaepernick playing out his contract and remaining with the 49ers in 2017. His non-guaranteed scheduled pay for 2017 is $14.9 million. It is highly unlikely that any team within scenario one, including the 49ers, would be willing to pay that much for Kaepernick to be on its roster for the upcoming season.
On Wednesday, the 49ers quarterback met with general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan for the first time since the two joined the team. Lynch, without divulging the details of the conversation that the three had, described the meeting as "really positive."
"We did have a great discussion and I think Colin left excited," Lynch said on KNBR. "We left excited and I think, as Kyle and I really believe, that the evaluation process is still very much fluid and we've only been on the job a couple of weeks and I can tell you we both very much enjoyed being around Colin and he seems like he's a real good place."
Lombardi doesn't believe that Kaepernick will have much demand in the open market. "This is the biggest joke to me in the league right now – is Kaepernick wants a meeting with the 49ers," he said. "What's going to happen with Kaepernick? I'll tell you what's going to happen with Kaepernick. He's going to be begging for a job in another couple of weeks. Who's going to sign Kaepernick? Who's paying Kaepernick anywhere near $4 million a year? What tape should I go watch to watch Colin Kaepernick play that tells me, 'Oh my God, he's really good!'
"At least RG III – I didn't get that move either – but there was a moment. Kaepernick's moment was with [Jim] Harbaugh and his accuracy is horrendous. And because he didn't stand for the national anthem, that became the story when the story is – forget all that stuff – the player isn't playing very well."
According to the NFLPA, Kaepernick does not currently have agent representation. The quarterback parted ways with XAM Sports, which had represented him since the 2011 NFL Draft. Kaepernick will need an agent to file the paperwork to opt out in early March – if he chooses to do so. He will also need an agent to talk with interested teams – if there are any – during the two-day window leading up to the start of free agency on March 9. Teams are not allowed to talk directly to players, even if they are self-represented.
As for quarterback options for the 49ers, Lombardi doesn't believe that the New England Patriots will actually trade away backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. However, if they do, he sees the 49ers as the most likely destination.
"I think the team that he would end up on (should he actually be traded) is San Francisco because I know for a fact that when I was in Cleveland for a little bit of time and I left and went to New England, Kyle Shanahan, whom we hired, came in – he loved Garoppolo," Lombardi said. "Loved him. I would think they have enough assets in San Francisco to make that work because look, let's face it, if you're Kyle Shanahan, you got six years at huge money and there's no offset clause in your contract, which is significant in the NFL. Which means if Kyle Shanahan gets fired in year two, he gets all his money and can double dip, which is unheard of in the NFL. You might as well use sustainable values and go for the long play."
Lombardi has served as an NFL executive with numerous franchises and was a scout with the 49ers from 1984 until 1987. He is a former analyst for NFL Network and former writer for NFL Media.
