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Colin Kaepernick took a major step in a possible return to the NFL when the Las Vegas Raiders brought him in for a workout. It was the first time he had even had a visit with the team since 2017 with the Seattle Seahawks. There doesn’t appear to have been much movement on a contract signing but this is the closest he’s been to making an NFL roster since the 2016 season.
Both the Raiders and Kaepernick have stayed quiet about the workout but there is some information that’s getting leaked to the media. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Las Vegas was impressed with the quarterback’s arm strength and conditioning.
Kaepernick has said that he’s been staying in good shape over the years and it appears he made sure he was ready to go when the Raiders have him a call. Showing up in shape after over five years away from the football field certainly sends a positive message to the team. It also sounds like he still has the ability to throw the ball downfield. Obviously, it takes a lot more to be an NFL quarterback than being strong and in shape but this will only help Kaepernick’s case for getting on a roster.
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McDaniels Declines Comment on Kaepernick Workout
When the Raiders brought in Kaepernick for a workout, they knew they were opening up a can of worms. No other team has been willing to take things this far since he was last on a roster. The team has clearly given a directive to players and coaches to avoid addressing the rumors as nobody in the organization has said much of anything about the workout.
Head coach Josh McDaniels had his first media availability since the NFL Draft on Thursday, May 26, and refused to offer any new insight on the workout.
“We will only talk about the people that are on our team,” McDaniels said in response to a question about Kaepernick. “Dave (Ziegler) and his staff have worked out tons of guys this spring. We really don’t make comments about the evaluations that we made or what they looked like, what they didn’t look like, strengths and weaknesses, those kinds of things. They are obviously kind of private for us as we look at things to try to make decisions to make the team better. If players are added to the team, then obviously we’ll talk about them at that point.
“I respect the question 100%. I understand, but that’s kind of what we’ll stick to.”
Will Raiders Sign Kaepernick?
If the Raiders weren’t serious about potentially signing Kaepernick, it doesn’t make much sense for them to work him out. He brings a lot more media attention than if they brought in Ryan Fitzpatrick for a workout. Now, that doesn’t mean they’re going to sign him. The point of a workout is to see if a player can help the team.
Considering Kaepernick hasn’t played a game in over five years, it’s impossible to know for sure how he looks on the football field. The Raiders may not end up signing him but they at least did him a big favor by giving him the chance.
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