Colin Kaepernick to work out for Raiders: AP sources
Colin Kaepernick is getting his first likelihood to work out for an NFL workforce since final taking part in within the league in 2016 when he began kneeling through the nationwide anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality.
Two individuals acquainted with the scenario mentioned Kaepernick will work out for the Las Vegas Raiders on Wednesday. The individuals spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of the workforce hadn’t introduced the exercise plans. ESPN first reported that the Raiders had been bringing in Kaepernick.
Kaepernick hasn’t performed because the finish of the 2016 season when he was lower by San Francisco when the brand new regime led by coach Kyle Shanahan needed to go a special route at quarterback.
Kaepernick by no means obtained one other alternative even to work out for NFL groups as he alleged he had been blackballed over his protests through the anthem the earlier season. He met with Seattle and had casual talks with Baltimore however by no means obtained a more in-depth look.
He filed a grievance with the NFL in 2017 over his lack of alternative and settled it in 2019 – however nonetheless by no means obtained one other look.
The Raiders have been on the forefront on range over their historical past, hiring Tom Flores because the second coach of Hispanic descent, Artwork Shell as the primary Black coach in fashionable historical past, and Amy Trask as the primary feminine CEO.
Proprietor Mark Davis has publicly mentioned he would again his coaches in the event that they needed to check out Kaepernick, and first-year coach Josh McDaniels is doing simply that.
The Raiders haven’t got a evident want at quarterback after signing starter Derek Carr to an extension final month. Las Vegas additionally signed Nick Mullens as a backup this offseason, traded for Jarrett Stidham and signed Chase Garbers as an undrafted free agent.
However none of these backups has the pedigree of Kaepernick, who emerged as one of many league’s younger stars when he took over as starter in San Francisco in 2012, and helped the Niners attain the Tremendous Bowl that season.
Kaepernick’s play began to regress in 2014 and he obtained harm midway via the subsequent season and misplaced his beginning job. Issues modified the subsequent preseason when Kaepernick started protesting through the nationwide anthem, drawing the ire of critics that included then presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Kaepernick regained his beginning job in 2016 and threw 16 TD passes and 4 interceptions in 12 video games, whereas posting a 90.7 passer score.
AP Professional Soccer Author Rob Maaddi contributed to this report
