After losing starter Drew Lock (shoulder) for the next 2-6 weeks, the Denver Broncos will likely add another quarterback to the roster.
Colin Kaepernick is the most notable name among the free agent quarterbacks available but, so far, he hasn’t come up in the team’s discussions about potential options.
“His name hasn’t come up in the brief discussions I’ve had with John [Elway] at this point,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said during his Zoom media availability on Monday. “I’m sure John and Matt [Russell] will work hard to bring somebody in here that they think will be the best fit.”
After winning Super Bowl 50, Deven tried to trade for Kaepernick in 2016 when he was playing for the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers wouldn’t agree to pay part of Kaepernick’s salary in exchange for a draft pick and Kaepernick didn’t want to accept a pay cut in order to make the trade go through.
After the trade failed to materialize, Kaepernick stayed put in San Francisco and earned his full salary before leaving the 49ers in 2017.
Two years after failing to complete a trade for Kaepernick, Elway shot down the possibility of signing the quarterback in 2018.
“Colin had his chance to be here,” Elway said during a training camp press conference two years ago. “We offered him a contract. He didn’t take it.”
Kaepernick knelt during the playing of the national anthem during the 2016 season in protest of racism and police brutality. He hasn’t been on any NFL rosters since becoming a free agent thee years ago.
Given Elway’s 2018 remark that Kaepernick “had his chance” to join the team in the past, it seems unlikely that Denver will consider bringing in the 32-year-old quarterback now.
The Broncos will start Jeff Driskel while Lock is sidelined and this week, Brett Rypien is expected to serve as the backup. Any quarterback Denver brings in would have to pass multiple COVID-19 tests so it’s unlikely any new quarterback would be ready to dress in time for Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
We’ve put together lists of free agent quarterbacks and practice squad quarterbacks Denver might consider adding with Lock sidelined.
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