Report: Chances Bengals sign Colin Kaepernick ‘slim to none’

It sounds like the Bengals are just doing due diligence on Colin Kaepernick.

Wednesday, word broke the Cincinnati Bengals will evaluate the upcoming workout for Colin Kaepernick.

But barring something unexpected, it sounded like the Bengals were doing typical due diligence.

According to Tyler Dragon of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the odds the Bengals actually sign Kaepernick are “slim to none” largely because of the team’s long-term plan at the position:

Bengals representatives have told The Enquirer that the team is building for the future and wants to evaluate rookie quarterback Ryan Finley for the remainder of the season. If the team is unsatisfied with Finley, the Bengals plan to draft a quarterback early in the 2020 NFL Draft. Sources abreast of the situation say adding a veteran quarterback at this particular time runs contrary to their vision of the future.

Granted, this is the NFL and things can change in a matter of moments. But with Kaepernick already 32 years old and his lengthy absence from the game, it makes sense the Bengals are taking a look but aren’t expected to make a move.

Sheerly from a football perspective, the Bengals don’t have a reason to add a fourth quarterback this season. Andy Dalton is presumably gone via trade or otherwise this offseason, but he’s more than a viable fallback plan were something to happen with rookie Ryan Finley over the remainder of the season.

This new Bengals coaching staff traded up to get Finley in the mid rounds this year and he was one of two quarterbacks to take official visits to Paul Brown Stadium before the draft. The other, Jake Dolegala, is also on the roster.

Pair those two with what should be a top-five quarterback prospect and there isn’t much room unless Kaepernick stuns the NFL on Saturday.

Regardless, it’s still interesting to hear the name even come up and the staff has otherwise ducked questions about it:

Kaepernick’s workout is Saturday.

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