Browns Urged to Offer Tryout to Controversial Ex-49ers QB

The Cleveland Browns are beginning to get serious about adding another QB to the roster, and there’s a polarizing name on the open market that merits a hard look.

Former San Francisco 49ers‘ signal caller Colin Kaepernick has not taken a snap in the NFL since 2016. But after five years on the sideline following a season full of controversial protests for racial equality that involved kneeling before the American flag during the National Anthem as it played prior to games, Kaepernick has been aggressive in pursuing a return to the gridiron.

He worked out for the Las Vegas Raiders in May after engaging in preliminary talks about joining the Seattle Seahawks in March. Now, as embattled Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson waits for the final word on what the organization expects will be an eight-game suspension, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Cleveland is looking at a handful of players to help fill the void Watson will leave alongside backups Jacoby Brissett and Josh Dobbs.

Among the quarterbacks the team has brought in for tryouts are Josh Rosen, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons, as well as A.J. McCarron, formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals, Raiders and Houston Texans.

Also believed to be under consideration are Cam Newton, formerly of the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots, and Jimmy Garropolo, formerly of the Patriots and currently of the 49ers — who was just granted permission by his team to seek a trade.

Considering a projection of overall talent, previous performance and cost-benefit analysis, it would border on football malpractice on the part of Andrew Berry and the Browns’ front office were they not to at least kick the tires on Kaepernick as an option under center before making a final decision.

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Kaepernick Tryout Represents Less Risk Than Did Watson Signing

Even so many years out since his on-field controversies, the 34-year-old Kaepernick still has the potential to bring, at the very least, unwanted attention to the Browns’ huddle. At the worst, he could potentially create off-field distractions for the locker room that could theoretically impact winning in a negative fashion.

However, Cleveland has shown a willingness to assume a position directly under public and media spotlights by trading for Watson in the first place, who may be suspended for much of the 2022 regular season based on allegations from 24 different women of sexual misconduct.

Kaepernick brings baggage with him to any NFL franchise he might join, no doubt, but his baggage never led to criminal complaints or a slew of civil actions resulting from alleged acts ranging between sexual harassment and sexual assault. Thus, if the Browns can offer Watson a fully-guaranteed contract worth $230 million over five years, they can afford to extend Kaepernick a workout.

Brandon Little of Sports Illustrated expressed a similar sentiment via Twitter on Thursday, July 21, the day of Rosen’s and McCarron’s tryouts.

“If the #Browns are going to spend their time on these guys, they should give @Kaepernick7 a tryout,” Little wrote.

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Kaepernick Arguably Represents Best Market Value to Browns

The argument for Kaepernick is not a political one. Rather, it is a call to forget politics altogether in the name of winning football.

The Browns have invested heavily in the future of their roster with expensive player acquisitions like wide receiver Amari Cooper and long-term extensions like the one for cornerback Denzel Ward, not to mention all the money for Watson. Throwing away an entire season would likely serve to only frustrate Cleveland fans further, especially with nearly $48.5 million left in salary cap space to spend this offseason.

Kaepernick was 27-20 as a regular season starter and led the Niners to a Super Bowl appearance in 2012. His final campaign in 2016 earned Kaepernick a 1-10 record, pushing him slightly below .500 as a starter on his career with a mark of 28-30. It is hard, however, to pin all of San Francisco’s struggles that season on Kaeperinck, who threw 16 touchdowns compared to just four interceptions, complemented by 468 rushing yards and two scores on the ground, per Pro Football Reference.

Baker Mayfield, who Cleveland traded to Carolina on July 6, posted a similar regular season record of 29-30 after four years with the Browns and led the franchise to its first playoff victory in more than 25 years just two seasons ago.

Assuming Kaepernick is capable of returning to his 2016 form, he has a resumé and playoff history that make him the clearly superior choice to alternatives Rosen, McCarron, Dobbs and Brissett.

Newton’s on-field performance over the last three seasons — 12 passing touchdowns to 16 interceptions and a 7-15 win/loss record as a starter, per Pro Football Reference — has left more than a little to be desired, as he has been unable to earn and/or maintain a starting role when competing with the likes of the Patriots’ Mac Jones and the Panthers’ Sam Darnold.

Garoppolo may be the superior talent when compared to Kaepernick, at least to begin the season, considering that his experience and success are equal to, or greater than, Kaepernick’s and he has a much fresher sense of what it means to start under center in the NFL. However, Garoppolo would also cost nearly $27 million against the Browns’ salary cap, which is a steep price to pay for a player they may only need for half of the season.

The entire discussion is moot, of course, if Kaepernick can’t get up to speed as a quarterback in 2022. But there is only one way to know for sure whether he’s capable of that — a team needs to let him try. The Browns number among the best candidates to take out that flier on the former Super Bowl starter and appear to have little, or nothing, to lose by doing so, while they could have everything to gain.

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