San Francisco 49ers representatives were in attendance for quarterback Colin Kaepernick's Saturday afternoon workout, which was initially scheduled to take place at the Atlanta Falcons' facilities. Kaepernick moved the throwing session because the NFL wanted to keep the league-organized event closed from the media.
The Eagles, Chiefs, Skins, Jets, Titans, 49ers and Lions all has scouts at Kaepernick workout today
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) November 16, 2019
The workout was moved to a high school football field in the area, and the media was allowed to observe, record, and report.
Instead of trying to figure out what the NFL had planned for the initial session, Kaepernick brought his own receivers to the new location, showed off his arm strength, and even impressed one NFL executive.
Look at this deep bomb. Question answered. Kaepernick still has his arm. pic.twitter.com/EkYO05Uk3C
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) November 16, 2019
After today's workout in Atlanta, an NFL executive at Colin Kaepernick's throwing session said his arm talent is "elite" and is the same as when he came out of college. He said that Kaepernick threw the ball well.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 16, 2019
We'll see if the workout was enough to land the 32-year-old quarterback on an NFL squad. It would be a surprise if he landed with the 49ers, the team that made him a second-round draft pick in 2011. San Francisco has repeatedly expressed confidence in its quarterbacks, Jimmy Garoppolo, Nick Mullens, and C.J. Beathard.
Kaepernick spent six seasons in the NFL, all with San Francisco, but last played during the 2016 season. His name dominated headlines that final season as he kneeled during the national anthem in protest of social injustice — a demonstration that is believed to have contributed to his continued unemployment from football.
Kaepernick had a conversation with the 49ers after the hiring of general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan, and was told he would be released if he did not opt out of the final year his contract. The quarterback was not seen as a fit in Shanahan's offensive scheme, and he opted out of his deal on March 3, 2017, becoming a free agent.
The cost of his contract had a lot to do with his departure from the 49ers, too.
"I think we both agreed that under the current construct, it wasn't going to work out," Lynch said at the NFL Scouting Combine in 2017.
Kaepernick completed 59.8 percent of his passes for 12,271 yards with 72 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in his five NFL seasons.
H/t to Alex Didion of NBC Sports Bay Area for the twitter finds.