SANTA CLARA — Colin Kaepernick became a household name when he ran all over the Packers in January of 2013 so it was fitting that his first chance to start a comeback story came against Green Bay. But on Friday at Levi’s Stadium, all Kaepernick did was remind Chip Kelly, Trent Baalke and any fan with a semblance of logic and reason that he’s nowhere close to being ready to run an NFL offense.
With an impressive performance against the Packers, Kaepernick could’ve created some much-needed intrigue around this 49ers team. Instead, he provided a harsh reality check. The stats don’t even tell the full story. He went 2-of-6 for 14 yards: his first completion went for two yards to Vance McDonald and his second was nearly picked off by the Packers’ Damarious Randall but DeAndrew White bailed him out. Three of Kap’s pass attempts were broken up either at the line of scrimmage or in coverage. He added 18 yards on the ground on four rushing attempts, but was timid to take off and showcased some ugly footwork trying to maneuver his way in and out of the pocket.
All in all, he looked eerily similar to the guy who lost his starting job last season and nothing like the dual-threat quarterback who tore up the Packers for 444 total yards in the playoffs. That has to be cause for concern in Santa Clara.
Until Friday, Kaepernick hadn’t seen game action since last November so rust was to be expected. But to blame the overall body of work on nothing more than rust is a dangerous oversimplification. Rust means you just miss an open receiver because your mechanics aren’t all the way back yet. Physical issues can be excused; mental ones cannot. That’s why watching Kaepernick struggle to read a defense, stick with his first option and force a ball into coverage without setting his feet is so discouraging.
Kaepernick didn’t see action in the first two preseason games because of a sore/tired/dead throwing arm, a product of his inability to workout while rehabbing from offseason surgeries. But while the gym became off limits, Kaepernick was hopefully hitting the books and trying to work on his stunted ability to make quick decisions based on how the opposing team sets up. He lost his starting job last year because he struggled to improve in that area. Rust or not, he showed nothing on Friday to suggest those problems are behind him.
While Kaepernick didn’t do himself any favors, neither did his offensive line. He didn’t have much time to work with, like last year, but good quarterbacks — especially ones with Kaepernick’s speed — can make something out of nothing. Aaron Rodgers, for example, dodged heavy pressure from the 49ers with ease.
After the game, Kaepernick said all the right things about believing he still has what it takes to win the starting job. And based on what he saw from Blaine Gabbert, it’s not that far fetched. Gabbert was certainly sharper than Kaepernick, but not to the point that we can close the book on this uninspiring quarterback competition.
Such is life for the 2016 San Francisco 49ers. The third preseason game is often the most important for teams as depth chart decisions are supposed to start coming into focus. While Kelly and Baalke have claimed that they’re in no rush to name a starting quarterback, it’s safe to assume they were hoping for some clarity coming out of Friday’s game. Instead, it feels like the 49ers made no progress on the quarterback front and still have no idea what they can expect from Kaepernick.
