To say that Mike Florio's agenda and thought process is rather tiresome would be an understatement. His latest article for Pro Football Talk states that San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick, who is currently involved a poker match with the Niners and Denver Broncos, should report to the team's offseason program on Monday. I can completely agree with that, but not for the reasons or under the childish scenario that Florio lays out.
Here is what he had to say in his Sunday article.
"The 49ers, by giving Kaepernick permission to seek a trade, presumably don't truly want him. Which means that they'll eventually cut him. Which means that the 49ers will pay the difference between whatever he gets elsewhere for 2016 and his fully-guaranteed $11.9 million salary."
He continued with the following.
"So Kaepernick should show up, with proverbial bells (and maybe a Dolphins . . . or an Eagles . . . or a Michigan hat) on. And he should do the bare minimum, sending the message he doesn't want to be there while technically there. At some point (for example, before he pops an Achilles tendon like receiver Michael Crabtree did in 2013), the 49ers will dump him."
First off, Kaepernick should report to the 49ers because he is a professional. The physical aspect of the first two weeks of the offseason program only include strength and conditioning as well as rehabilitation. Kaepernick would be limited in the first aspect because he is still rehabbing from an injury. If the 49ers feel that he would be better served rehabbing elsewhere, like the Steadman Clinic in Colorado where he has been for much of the offseason, then that is between San Francisco and their contractually obligated employee.
Florio assumes that, during this whole fiasco, the 49ers don't really want Kaepernick anyway. That's a big assumption that would very much go against past behavior. If you are valuable to general manager Trent Baalke, then he wants you around. Kaepernick does have value to them. New head coach Chip Kelly has even stated that he is eager to work with him and is likely chomping at the bit to talk some football with him. However, that doesn't mean that Baalke is not willing to listen to or even pull the trigger on offers if a strong one comes across his desk.
The 49ers can certainly afford to eat Kaepernick's salary. That's something that the Broncos can't do with their very limited cap space. The 49ers have the stronger hand here as far as getting a trade deal done, not the Broncos.
Neither Denver nor Kaepernick are in a position to demand that the 49ers pay part of the quarterback's salary as part of a trade deal. The 49ers, whether it be the truth or not, have repeatedly said that they want Kaepernick and have no intention of releasing him. Kaepernick has lost trust in the organization and wants out. Denver needs a starting quarterback unless they plan to enter the season with Mark Sanchez or a rookie under center, which may be what happens if the Broncos wait for San Francisco to flinch. They want Kaepernick, who met with Denver general manager John Elway on Thursday at his home in the Denver area. Who exactly has the upper hand here? It's San Francisco, not Denver.
Why would the 49ers be interested in paying a player to play for another team when they say they want him on their roster? If general manager Trent Baalke took that deal, he has no business returning in 2017.
Add to that the risk of Kaepernick reporting to the 49ers and finally being able to talk football with his coaching staff and warming up to the idea that he may be ok giving it a go and being paid very well to do so. It's the Broncos that are playing a dangerous game here. From an organization standpoint, the 49ers would be very comfortable moving forward with Kaepernick on their roster and only giving up on – potentially – a low third-round Broncos draft pick, which we are not even sure is the offering.
Sure reporting on Monday may create an awkward situation for Kaepernick, given that his teammates have obviously heard a lot about what is going on. However, the 49ers themselves have reportedly told Kaepernick that the two parties understand there is a business side to the NFL, but that they want him there regardless. Following Florio's advice of doing the bare minimum would just make the already awkward situation worse.
Florio even went as far as attempting to discredit a report yesterday by Adam Schefter, a report that the ESPN insider quickly defended. Whatever Florio's agenda is, it is obvious that he would love to see San Francisco embarrassingly mugged by Denver of Kaepernick. Whether he reports to the 49ers or not, it should be for professional reasons worked out with his current employer and not the infantile scenario that Florio lays out.
Of course, this is all assuming that Kaepernick is not traded before the team reports on Monday.