Getty Colin Kaepernick ahead of the Michigan spring game in 2022.
The Detroit Lions have not added a quarterback to the mix this offseason other than re-signing a pair of their own free agents, and don’t seem poised to make a big move at the spot.
Even though that’s the case, that hasn’t stopped folks from speculating that the team may look to make another signing at the position in the form of Colin Kaepernick. Though Kaepernick has not yet been signed anywhere to a deal, he has thrown for NFL teams and could be poised for a return to the league very soon.
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Recently, the Lions watched as Kaepernick threw in April during the University of Michigan’s spring game. At that time, the team was seen as having decent odds to land the quarterback. Now that a few months have gone by, nothing has changed.
According to Bookies.com, the Lions are a current +1200 to sign Kaepernick. Those odds aren’t nearly as good as the Las Vegas Raiders (+200) or even the Seattle Seahawks, (+700), but they are still on the board.
A piece by Adam Thompson took a closer look at some of the odds, as well as broke down the potential competition for Kaepernick’s services. As he hinted, the Lions could still be an appealing locale because of their inconsistent quarterback situation.
“The Panthers are still searching for an answer at QB and the Lions currently have Tim Boyle as their No. 2. If another team takes a stab at the long-sitting Kaepernick, those two are top destinations based on need,” Thompson wrote in the piece.
At the very least, the Lions are still seen as in the mix for a quarterback addition by those on the outside, no matter how farfetched that analysis may seem at this point in time.
Why Lions Aren’t Likely to Sign Kaepernick
No matter what else surrounds the quarterback, the Lions have shown that they will look low and high for talent to make their team better. If the team elects to avoid Kaepernick, it will have less to do with any perceived issues the quarterback has and more to do with the fact that the team has been inactive at the position most of the 2022 offseason, including during the critical period of the NFL draft.
While names like Tim Boyle and David Blough might not inspire confidence, the Lions brought both back and look to be heading into the season with the pair as their quarterback room along with Jared Goff. When the team didn’t draft a player, it showed they were serious about keeping the status quo for 2022 intact. This makes a Kaepernick addition feel less than likely in the Motor City in spite of the odds.
If the Lions were in the hunt and sustained a major injury to Goff or another quarterback during the middle of the 2022 season, all bets would be off as it relates to what could happen. At this point, though, it doesn’t seem like the team will be interested in an outside addition at the spot given what they have already done.
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.
It’s clear the odds are beginning to swirl about a possible Kaepernick comeback, especially combined with all of his different throwing sessions.
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