Futures of Blaine Gabbert and Colin Kaepernick Clearer Than Ever
Aug 10, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) and quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) train at Kezar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
Two things became crystal clear for the San Francisco 49ers in their Thursday Night loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Both concerned the QB position.
The first is Blaine Gabbert doesn’t have a future as the starter beyond 2016. That much was evident during the game. Too many times he missed open receivers and others he failed to find them despite decent protection and ended up taking sacks. It’s the same list of problems that have followed Gabbert for years. Great talent but just can’t seem to put everything together. Odds are Chip Kelly won’t prefer to stick with him.
Then there is Colin Kaepernick. If the 49ers were actually serious about him having any sort of place on this team, then he would’ve and should’ve seen action in that game. There were a few stretches where Gabbert really struggled that was the ideal time for a change. The fact that Kelly didn’t says a lot about what he thinks of the 28-year old. Or perhaps it’s an obvious indication that Kaepernick just isn’t going to play.
Even if they do end up making the switch, the odds that Kaepernick is going to change anything at this point is remote. San Francisco is now far back in the NFC West with little hope of catching either Seattle or the Rams. The odds are very strong that a change will be coming in 2017. Assuming the 49ers end up with a high 1st round pick, and that seems likelier every week, they could be one of the teams that grabs a quarterback.
It would mark the first time that has ever happened for a Chip Kelly-coached team since he came to the NFL in 2013. At the same time it’s fair to question what the future holds for Gabbert and Kaepernick, who may be looking at their last opportunities to start fizzle away.
More from NFL Mocks
This article originally appeared on 
