Colin Kaepernick a potential fit with the Baltimore Ravens
Joe Flacco’s recent injury may lead to the most polarizing quarterback in recent memory to join the Baltimore Ravens: Colin Kaepernick
News of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco injuring his back while weight lifting ripped through the NFL as training camps across the country went underway Wednesday afternoon. Though not expected to be serious or cost Flacco any regular season games the idea of Baltimore losing their 32-year-old Super Bowl winning franchise quarterback for any period of time is alarming.
On ESPN’s Mike and Mike Thursday morning, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter made several points as to why the Ravens would be interested in former 49ers star Colin Kaepernick, who’s been an outcast since kneeling during the National Anthem last season.
First is Greg Roman, Kaepernick’s former offensive coordinator from San Francisco, being on the Ravens staff. Roman had tremendous success with Kaepernick in the Bay Area, and is the Senior Offensive Assistant and Tight Ends coach for the Ravens. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh’s brother Jim was Kaepernick’s head coach in San Francisco. The leadership in Baltimore can sustain a story such as Kaepernick in the locker room and on the sideline.
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Ravens head coach John Harbaugh’s brother Jim was Kaepernick’s head coach in San Francisco during their Super Bowl run, which included a loss to the Ravens. The leadership in Baltimore can sustain a story such as Kaepernick in the locker room and on the sideline.
All these points and the idea of Kaepernick being a fit in Baltimore laid out by Schefter don’t just come out of nowhere. Someone is saying something about the connection and the dots are connecting accordingly.
It does make more sense than not for Kaepernick to join the Ravens as a backup. When healthy, Joe Flacco is the starter and no quarterback is going to push for the job as long as Flacco is there. The Ravens current backup situation essentially starts and ends with Ryan Mallett, the former New England Patriots castaway.
Mallett has just seven career passing touchdowns to 10 interceptions in his time with New England and the Houston Texans. Certainly not what a team with playoff asprirations wants with an aging quarterback leading the charge.
As with every team looking into the quarterback market, the final decision will come down on the desk of the team owner. If Steve Bisciotti signs off on having a backup quarterback with so much media attention this theoretical move is more likely than not developing into a reality.
Kaepernick has gone to teams for interviews, most notably the Seattle Seahawks, but left without a deal. Coaches across the league have said Kaepernick can still play despite a shoulder injury that plagued him after Harbaugh left for Michigan. It’s all about the public image and Kaepernick’s very public political stances.