Getty Colin Kaepernick throwing during Michigan's spring game in Ann Arbor in 2022.
The Detroit Lions may need a quarterback of the future even though the team seems content with Jared Goff in the present, and given the fact that Colin Kaepernick is seeming destined for some sort of comeback, that may have put him squarely into the mix.
In terms of the Lions, the odds are now beginning to favor this. Given the fact that the Lions seem to have an opening for an elite quarterback on the roster, Detroit is already being watched as a team that could be in the mix for Kaepernick in terms of oddsmakers.
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A peek at some early odds courtesy of Bookies.com shows the Lions lingering near the top of potential teams in the mix for Kaepernick coming up. According to the site, the Lions are at a +1050 to sign Kaepernick and add him to the roster. That’s in fourth position behind some other notable teams with holes at the position such as the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers, but also the Baltimore Ravens interestingly enough.
As writer Adam Thompson explained in his piece, “the Lions currently have Tim Boyle as their No. 2,” which might mean the team could eventually look at a guy like Kaepernick as a possible upgrade in Detroit on the roster.
At this point, it still seems like a bad bet that the Lions would go all-in on a guy like Kaepernick given the fact they do have Goff, other quarterbacks on the roster and might even be looking for a younger option in either the 2022 or 2023 drafts. Still, the fact that oddsmakers are at least giving the team a chance at the move is noteworthy.
Lions Watched Kaepernick Throw During Michigan Exhibition
Perhaps only heightening this smoke is the fact that recently, Kaepernick threw during an exhibition at the University of Michigan. The Lions were one of the teams in attendance watching what he was doing, and the media was very aware of the fact that Detroit showed up. As John Niyo of the Detroit News explained, it was not a surprise at all to see Detroit represented at the event:
Not a surprise, but the Lions’ pro scouting department is represented here at Michigan’s spring game, where Colin Kaepernick – at the invitation of his former NFL coach, Jim Harbaugh – will have a throwing exhibition at halftime.
“Not a surprise, but the Lions’ pro scouting department is represented here at Michigan’s spring game, where Colin Kaepernick – at the invitation of his former NFL coach, Jim Harbaugh – will have a throwing exhibition at halftime,” Niyo tweeted.
How did Kaepernick do? Pretty well, actually, as some of the highlights showed. Kaepernick’s final throw was a major dime, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter showed:
Colin Kaepernick’s final pass today today at Michigan’s Maize and Blue Spring Game.
Whether or not this performance leads to a team signing Kaepernick is anyone’s guess, but it’s clear that he did his best to represent overall and may have put his best foot forward.
Kaepernick’s Career Stats & Highlights
Through the years, Kaepernick has been a star player at the quarterback position even if he hasn’t played a lot of football lately. While with the San Francisco 49ers, Kaepernick was a great player and put up some amazing stats en-route to winning the 2013 NFC Championship as well as representing in Super Bowl 47 against the Baltimore Ravens. Statistically, Kaepernick was a beast at the position in the key years and looked ready to re-write some stats at the spot given 40 touchdowns and 6,566 passing yards between the years of 2013 and 2014. In his last season in the league in 2016, Kaepernick put up 16 passing touchdowns. He has also rushed for 2,300 yards and 13 touchdowns as a true dual-threat player as these career highlights show:
After he stepped away from the game following his commitment to social justice issues, Kaepernick has not been back since playing. That hasn’t stopped many from wondering how much game he could have left at 34 years old. After not having any wear and tear on his body for the last five years, the answer could be a lot.
Whether it’s the Lions or someone else that signs him, it’s clear the odds are beginning to swirl about a possible Kaepernick comeback.
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