Patriots

Should the Patriots Bring in Colin Kaepernick for a Workout?

Colin Kaepernick
Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images

Recent events in the country have proven to be far bigger than sports.

In the wake of George Floyd's death, many continue to protest the racial injustice and police brutality that still plagues the nation to this day.

But although the importance of these social issues far outweighs anything that happens on the gridiron, one of the most notable activists for these causes is former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The ex-San Francisco 49ers QB sparked a national conversation about racial inequality and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem, and he was out of a job shortly thereafter.

The NFL recently released an apologetic statement admitting it was wrong for not listening to what players had to say about racial injustices sooner. That statement has led to the question, is it time for a team to sign Kaepernick?

If so, the New England Patriots could make sense as a fit for the 32-year-old. They could use the added depth at the position with Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer as the only real competition at the position.

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NBC Sports Boston's Phil Perry and Gary Tanguay talked about the prospect of the Patriots bringing in Kaepernick for a workout on Arbella Early Edition.

"Should they consider it? Sure, why not?" Perry said. "I would be a hypocrite to say the Patriots should bring in this player or that player on Day 3 of the draft as an undrafted free agent because that guy may have upside or may have a little bit of depth to a position that really only includes two pros right now in Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer. So I would say sure, why not?

"He has been out of the league for over three years. His last game was in January of 2017. So I would say bring him in, work him out, put him through a real workout and see if he can still come close to the physical ability that we saw from him the last time he was on the field because I think he would be worth it football-wise."

Tanguay agreed, mentioning Kaepernick's past success as a signal-caller in San Francisco.

"One thing we know about Colin Kaepernick is that the guy has been successful," said Tanguay. "He can play the game. We've seen it. Unfortunately, recent history tells us he struggled. So with Bill Belichick, could a career be reborn? I'm willing to ask, I'm willing to find out. I think it's a no-brainer."

In his last season, Kaepernick tallied 2,241 passing yards for 16 touchdowns and four interceptions in 12 games played. He also had 468 rushing yards and 2 TDs on the ground.

Whether it's the Patriots or one of the other 31 teams, signing Kaepernick would mark the first real sign the NFL is indeed acknowledging its past mistakes. Surely, one of the 32 teams could use a backup quarterback of Kaepernick's caliber. It's just a matter of whether they have the courage to take a chance on a player whose impact extends far beyond football.

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