Getty Colin Kaepernick
The New York Jets are going through quarterbacks like underwear, but Dez Bryant knows the man to end the madness.
Taking to Twitter on Monday night, after the Jets lost second-string QB Trevor Siemian to a gruesome ankle injury, the former Dallas Cowboys receiver urged Gang Green to sign still-free-agent Colin Kaepernick.
This is a great time for the Jets to call Kaep
Bryant’s commentary was met with mixed reactions, as one could imagine, but it’s fair to wonder if New York indeed should pick up the phone for or kick the tires on — whichever cliche applies — Kaepernick, who’s still “only” 31 despite last playing in 2016.
The alternative is trotting out Luke Falk for the foreseeable future. And given Falk’s severely underwhelming stat line (20-of-25 for 198 yards) in Monday’s lopsided 23-3 defeat to the Browns, that’s not a preferable Plan B until Sam Darnold is over his bout with mono.
“I thought Luke did a really good job tonight,” Jets coach Adam Gase said, unironically.
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Kaep Ready for Re-Entry?
At one time a dazzling dual-threat talent and the NFL’s brightest star, Kaepernick led the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance in 2012 and the NFC title game in 2013. He has thrown for 12,271 yards and 72 touchdowns, and rushed for 2,300 yards and 13 scores, across 69 career games.
In 2016, Kaepernick began a league-wide movement by kneeling during the national anthem, his way of protesting social injustice that’d gripped the country. This eventually led to his departure from the 49ers and disappearance from the sport, as no team would take on his perceived baggage, especially after Kaepernick turned down a chance to join the Denver Broncos.
While igniting a lawsuit against the NFL, alleging its owners colluded in an effort to blackball him from the business, Kaepernick has spent the last two-plus years furthering his off-field crusade. Last month, though, he teased a return to the league in a minute-long video uploaded to Twitter in which he states he was “denied work for 889 days.”
5am. 5 days a week. For 3 years. Still Ready.
Kaepernick has made no official visits nor held any workouts with potential suitors since releasing the video, perhaps proving once and for all that professional football has passed him by.
Other QB Options
Competent passers don’t grow on trees, especially at this level, where even the average ones are handed blank checks. As such, if the Jets, who don’t have a healthy backup behind Falk, look to bring in a warm body, they’ll have to comb through the scrap heap, which includes the likes of Paxton Lynch, Brock Osweiler and Brian Hoyer, to name a few.
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL