NFL Network continues to discuss the quarterback situation in San Francisco. On Monday, it was Solomon Wilcox and Nate Burleson sharing their thoughts on the the topic during NFL Total Access. Both felt that Colin Kaepernick had the edge over Blaine Gabbert because of his skill set. Today, it was David Carr on NFL HQ.
Last week, head coach Chip Kelly had stated that he felt that both Kaepernick and Gabbert were similar. "When you're looking at both those guys, I think they're similar. They have a similar skill set. They're both 6-4 plus. They both can really run, which will help keep plays alive. Obviously we're not a quarterback run offense, but if the quarterback can run, you can use a little bit of that to your advantage," said Kelly during an interview on 95.7 The Game.
The topic on NFL HQ revolved around Gabbert having the edge in the competition due to Kaepernick not yet being cleared to practice with the team. "By default he has the edge because he's there. He's practicing with these guys and Blaine played well last year, y'know? The disaster that that season was, he went out and played pretty well," said Carr. "And Colin not being out there? This is a new offense. This isn't a system that he knows. I mean, obviously it's not that complicated. We all know, even last year in Philly, they ran 12 plays. It's not that difficult to learn, but you still need reps at it."
Carr went on to say that he felt that the reps that Kaepernick is missing are very important, despite what some people believe. "If San Francisco believes that they're going to do anything with Colin Kaepernick, he's got to get out there," continued Carr.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reported yesterday that there are two reasons that Kaepernick was not activated this week. The first was his health. The team would like to see Kaepernick at his pre-injury health before putting him out there on the practice field. The second reason was financial. Should Kaepernick suffer a career-ending injury, his 2017 base salary of $14.5 million and a portion of his 2018 salary would be guaranteed.
When asked who Carr felt was the better fit in Kelly's offense, he named Kaepernick – if he looks healthy. In addition to not being able to practice, due to his rehab following multiple surgeries, Kaepernick has been limited in working out this offseason. Many have noticed that he had lost weight and muscle. "This is the ideal quarterback for Chip Kelly's system. A guy that can move around and put pressure on the edge," said Carr.
Carr was an NFL quarterback from 2002 until 2012. That includes a one-year stint as a backup with the 49ers in 2010.