Former San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick is still a free agent, if you haven't heard.
Injuries to some starting quarterbacks might provide an opportunity for Kaepernick to get back in the league, but Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman says there are still plenty of healthy QBs that Kaepernick should be starting over.
In an interview with USA Today's Jarrett Bell, Sherman defended Kaepernick's ability to be a starting QB in the NFL, and referenced a handful of starters that Kaep is better than right now.
Per USA Today,
"For you to say you have to check with sponsors and fans because this guy took a knee and made a statement? Now if you told me this guy threw eight pick-sixes last year and played like a bum, had no talent, that’s one thing. But Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mallett or whoever is playing for the Jets right now – whoever is starting for the Jets is terrible – have jobs. You’re telling me fans would rather you lose and put a worse player out there because a guy took a stand? That’s where it’s so troublesome to me."
Sherman cited a few examples, including the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Blake Bortles and the Los Angeles Rams’ Jared Goff, as starters that don’t measure up to Kaepernick.
“Blake Bortles has shown you enough to where you don’t think Kaep would be a solid fit?” Sherman added. “Kaep has won games.”
"What is it about?" Sherman said. "It's not about football or color. It's about, 'Boy, stay in your place.' He played in Chip (Kelly)'s system last year and went 16-4 (TD-to-INT ratio) on a bad team. He played well because he's a good football player. He may not be the best, but he's better than a lot of these dudes starting."
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and GM Ozzie Newsome were reportedly looking into signing Kaepernick after Joe Flacco suffered a minor injury, but reports suggested the team owner, Steve Bisciotti, was resistant. The Ravens have since denied rumors that Bisciotti doesn't want Kaepernick.
The Miami Dolphins are one team that certainly needs a starting QB heading into the season as Ryan Tannehill suffered a knee injury yesterday that could require season ending surgery. At the very least, according to ESPN, he'll be out for 6-8 weeks.