The $114 million total value wasn't the most interesting detail when quarterback Colin Kaepernick signed his six-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers before the 2014 NFL season. What made the deal intriguing was the 49ers' ability to rather painlessly extricate themselves after just two seasons.
It was the first contract of its kind for a high-profile starting quarterback, and the way things are playing out, it's natural to wonder what it would take for the 49ers to reconsider their investment before $11.9 million in 2016 salary becomes guaranteed in the spring.
Kaepernick ranks 25th in passer rating and has a 9-10 starting record since signing the deal. He's coming off a four-interception performance during a 40-point defeat at Arizona. That puts Kaepernick at a career low point with 13 games remaining to show the 49ers he's worth the big bucks. It sounds dramatic and it's a discussion worth having, but there is a lot less intrigue than the looming contractual off-ramp would have us believe. The odds are strongly in favor of Kaepernick remaining the 49ers' starter beyond this season even if he isn't exactly what the team would like to have behind center.