As fall practice begins, most NFL teams have their rosters set.
The top free agents have been scooped up, and rookies have signed their contracts. However, one notable name is still twisting in the wind.
Controversial quarterback Colin Kaepernick is still without a home, but that could be changing soon.
In light of a recent injury to Baltimore Ravens’ starting quarterback Joe Flacco, the Ravens appear open to signing the divisive signal-caller.
From Bleacher Report:
Baltimore Ravens starting quarterback Joe Flacco believes fellow QB Colin Kaepernick deserves another chance in the NFL and said he’d welcome him to the organization.
On Friday, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com passed along comments from Flacco, who light-heartedly talked about Kaepernick not getting another chance to start if he joined the Ravens, though.
“I would like to see Colin get back in [the NFL], and at some point, maybe get another shot [to be a starter],” he said. “I wouldn’t like that to be here. I do not want him to get another shot [to be a starter] here, but yes, he can come here and have some fun. I think it would be a good spot for him.”
[…]
While Baltimore was awaiting further information about the extent of Flacco’s back problem, head coach John Harbaugh confirmed he’s been in contact with Kaepernick on a casual basis during the offseason, per Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today.
“He and I have been talking throughout the summer a number of times,” he said. “We had some great conversations on the phone and it’s really been a pleasure to talk to him and get to know him. I like history and politics too, and we’ve had some debates, and it’s been fun. And he’s a great guy.”
Harbaugh added: “He’s a guy right now that’s being talked about. We’ll see what happens with that. Only speculation right now. He’s a really good football player and like I said, I do believe he’ll be playing in the National Football League this year.”
Kaepernick remains the league’s most high-profile free agent after opting out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers in March. He made national headlines last season for his decision to kneel during the national anthem, making him one of the most polarizing figures in sports.
In March, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported the quarterback would stand for the national anthem if he was signed for the 2017 season.
It’s unclear if the Ravens are still considering Kaepernick now that it sounds like Flacco isn’t dealing with a serious injury, barring a setback. He would likely battle Ryan Mallett for backup duties during training camp and the preseason if added to the roster.
Flacco’s comments, even though they were in jest, underscore the key issue with signing Kaepernick. No starting quarterback likes to have his job threatened, especially when the backup is highly visible and has support behind him.
Fox Sports 1’s Skip Bayless is the canary in the coal mine for the quarterback discussions wherever Kaepernick goes:
UNDISPUTED on Twitter
I would give the Ravens a little better chance to go farther with Colin Kaepernick as their QB than Joe Flacco.” – @RealSkipBayless https://t.co/nOKPJHMQIR
If Flacco struggles at all, the chatter will start that Kaepernick needs to get a chance, which could breed discord in the locker room.
More talented teams have been fractured by less.
The fact the Ravens are led by the older brother of Kaepernick’s former head coach, Jim Harbaugh, gives him a rare ally, but it may not be enough to supersede the other question marks he brings.
any team that is to pick him up even as a water boy will loose me as a viewer ! this silver spooned ass hole is anti American and should just live his life a way from football ! he made his mind up and did what he did of free will and now should pay for it !
WILL BOYCOTT ANY TEAM THAT HIRES HIM NO PURCHASE OF PRODUCTS THAT SPONSER THEM
I already boycott (man-cott for da bros) the NFL, but I support you!
like I have and will boycott any team that that un-American traitor is on now that he’s not on a team I watch n-f-l but if they let him or any player that disrespects or athem or or flag or morals for that matters i’ll go back to boycotting the n-f-l for good this time
Because of him, I didn’t watch football last year and probably won’t this year. Didn’t miss it. Enjoyed NASCAR till end of racing season last year.
I agree! My husband not I will watch any team that hires him,. He is not a true American and I hope no NFL will hire him.
What a shame to have this self serving character playing in the shadow of where the National Anthem was written.
Nah…….The Raven’s have already made another choice…the Kaep is still blowing in the wind….You pays your money, makes your choices and takes your chances..the Kaep might have crapped out…..
NOPE! Does not deserve to play, PERIOD!
Kaepernick is a complete deuce bag. If the Ravens or anyone else picks this clown up it will be just another nail in the NFL’s coffin. I didn’t watch a single game last year and most of my friends followed suit. The same can be said for Sports Illustrated and their glorification of mental illness by putting Jenner on their cover. Likewise with respect to ESPN with their support for the racist anarchist group Black Lives Matter. I no longer watch ESPN because I refuse to listen to the ignorance of people like Chauncy Billups and Jalen Rose when they discuss race in America and how they don’t know if they can continue to live in a country that elects Trump as their President. The majority of American’s are sick to death of this amoral left wing insanity and now that sports has gotten into the mix it’s clear that far too many people have bought into the lies and PC BS.
Send Kaepernick to Pyongyang or Siberia; he can be with his “like-thinkers” in those places.
Any team that hires him is going to be VERY sorry that they did. NFL fans, for the most part, are VERY patriotic, & unforgiving to any that break with that. Kaepernick not only dissed our anthem AND our flag, but also all patriots AND our military. He might as well hang it up, his career is over. If he had protested off the field, & not during a game, nobody would have really cared. But, he did it, & has nobody but himself to blame.
Big whoop! Who even cares? He needs to move out of America. He’s not worthy of “her”.
Maybe this poor wretch of a human needs to go live in another country he can appreciate . I detest these pampered brats.
Anti American doesn’t belong playing “All American” football!! Huge mistake!!
Players have shown for a long time it’s all about the money and the fans come second.. I’ve been boycotting the NFL since their strike back in the ’80s. Just a bunch of overpaid whining prima donnas. Screw ’em all.
Colin wrote his check. Now let him try to cash it.
flacco hasn’t done crap the last couple of years, jut what they need another loser
I will never watch or go to a pro football game again. AND I’m feeling much better now.
The fans will burn the stadium
It figures the Ravens will pick up this disrespectful ape. He doesn’t deserve to have a job for the way he turned his back on our country. It’s outrageous.
I certainly hope not, if they do hire it won’t take long to realize that they made serious mistake that cost more money than you should ever spend on someone like him. In a bigger mistake is the NFL, they won’t let team stand up for our heroes but to let this idiot kneel with no consequences while National ANTHEM is being played.
If the Ravens are stupid enough to put Colon Krapperdump on their team, they are going to get exactly what they deserve.
I won’t watch any team that has Kapernick on its roster.
Best move the Ravens could make.
For Colin.., he’d be better off with my Arizona Cards.
AZ ain’t got near the racial antagonism as Baltimore.
In Baltimore he would be a lightning rod.
The kid deserves a chance simply because he’s got the talent to do so.
The fact that he offended this 68 yr old conservative Republican and
native Arizonan IS IRRELEVANT.
My VOLUNTEER Vietnamese service wasn’t for an America that ostracized a
young kid did somethin’ stupid.
It’s not as if Blacks don’t reason to be angry.
The problem is that they are consistently angry with the wrong people…,
specifically, Democrats and the Democratic Party.
I WISH THIS INTELLIGENT, TALENTED, COURAGEOUS YOUNG MAN THE BEST.
Now.., if he could only let go of his irrational notions.
BS. You’re stupid and uniformed,
And you are brilliant and all-knowing.
Insult is the first sign of a lost argument.
You managed to slip in 2 in 5 total words.
Boy.., are you “lost”.
LOL.
Not surprising that the Ravens would consider him. The team is in Baltimore, isn’t it? Baltimore officials don’t seem to support law enforcement. Is there anything right in the major East Coast cities?
Flacco is showing his stupidity now! Why would anyone want to give this flake another chance after sticking it to the nation with his behavior. why should he have a second chance when other people don’t get that privilege and never would have followed his actions!
That happens then we just happen to have the remote ready to turn off all the Baltimore Raven games. This will hurt the teams they are playing against as well, so it won’t be good for their TV ratings or game attendance either. “Colon” (spelled different on purpose) Kaepernick is an unpatriotic low life whose only contribution to society is his ability to throw a football. For any American business that ignores Kaepernick’s slap in the face of every American citizen, then they are being unpatriotic as well. NOT GOING TO GET OUR DOLLARS!
this P.O.S SHOULD BE KICKED OUT OF THE COUNTRY HE HATES SO MUCH ,, N.F.L RATEINGS ARE DOWN BECOUSE OF HIM ,,,HE SPIT ON AMERICA AND ITS VETERANS,,,,kaperDICK should NEVER PLAY AGAIN……go to the MID EAST and then tell me how much you hate america……
A loser of a player = a loosing team. Ths devisive idiot needs to never play in the NFL ever again.
Another team I will NEVER watch if they hire that POS!
who cares
He made the decision to disrespect the flag having no one to blame but himself. Disrespecting the flag was disrespecting the family who raised him. If he likes football so much then he should buy himself a TV to watch the teams he likes.
Ravens are better off with Tebow!!!
It’s almost impossible for Nappynick to ever play football anywhere again. No one makes a helmit big enough to hold that nappy cofer of his.
Kaepernick might make a good Piss Boy
Black overpaid social;l misfit has got to t to get past the owner!!! Despicable111
The very country that gave this ungreatful nigger a chance to succeed in life and he wont even salute our countrys flag. Why is everyone making such a big deal about this ungreatful mutt???
North Korea would be a Great place for the turd.