NFL teams looking to bolster their quarterback room finally got the chance to witness an in-person training session from polarizing free agent Colin Kaepernick, as he held a public workout just outside Atlanta in which multiple teams were in attendance.
The question in Chicago leading up to the heavily-discussed workout was whether or not the Bears would have someone in attendance to scout the former 49ers passer. The answer would have been yes, had the workout gone according to plan.
Approximately 30 minutes before the workout was set to take place at the Atlanta Falcons facilities, Kaepernick and his representatives decided to cancel the closed NFL-organized session and instead, hold a separate workout at a local high school that was open to the public. The change was due to a waiver Kaepernick needed to sign prior to the workout and his disagreement with the NFL for not allowing the media to attend. The new workout started an hour after the NFL-organized session was set to begin.
Following the decision, the NFL released a statement that 25 teams were set to view the workout planned at the Falcons’ facility. According to ESPN Falcons beat writer Vaughn McClure, one of those teams happened to be the Bears.
Looks like Bears and Jaguars here pic.twitter.com/yLfWR9yPgu
— vaughn mcclure (@vxmcclure23) November 16, 2019
McClure tweeted the photo above just prior to the news of the location change. Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic also confirmed the Bears were present to see the NFL’s scheduled workout. The new location was a high school in Riverdale, GA, an Atlanta suburb nearly 60 miles away from the Falcons facility in Flowery Branch.
When Kaepernick’s workout began, only eight teams followed the quarterback to his new location to see him throw.
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter confirms the Chiefs, Jets, Eagles, Titans, 49ers, Redskins, and Lions were present, with a mystery team still yet to be identified.
Bills said they did not attend Colin Kaepernick’s workout; so there was an eighth team there that still needs to be identified. https://t.co/ZficY1bTNE
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 17, 2019
After about 40 minutes, the chaotic day concluded and Kaepernick spoke to reporters.
“We’re out here, we’re ready to play, we’re ready to go anywhere,” he said.
As far as the Bears’ interest in Kaepernick goes, it’s still unclear if they were present at the actual workout as there was one mystery team in attendance that has yet to be identified. But it appears they were initially interested in seeing the 32-year old, who burst onto the scene against the Bears, torching them in a 32-7 victory nearly seven years ago to the day when he made his first career start.
The chaos surrounding the workout, however, created more questions. Did the Bears back out once the NFL was no longer involved? Were they the mystery team that has yet to be identified? How much interest did the Bears actually have in Kaepernick?
Unless general manager Ryan Pace elects to sign him, we may never know the answers. But one thing is clear: the Bears planned to do their due diligence in seeing Kaepernick throw, looking at all options to potentially upgrade their quarterback room.
[lawrence-related id=431054,430963,430958,430910]
