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ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted out earlier today that San Fransisco 49ers General Manager Trent Baalke told ESPN's Bob Holtzman that quarterback Colin Kaepernick could be traded this week.
49ers' GM Trent Baalke told @BobHoltzmanESPN that it's possible Colin Kaepernick could be traded this week.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 27, 2016
As we know, the Broncos have long been connected to 49ers Colin Kaepernick, and trade rumors have persisted for the past month and a half but nothing has yet to come from those rumors. So this quote could mean the trade between the Broncos and 49ers might be heating up again.
Last week Denver Broncos General Manager John Elway spoke about the potential Kaepernick trade and said the trade wasn't dead. but dormant.
"It’s dormant. He’s been working out with San Francisco from what I understand so that’s all I can really say. It’s never been dismissed. Everything is right there. So that’s kind of where it is."
With the 2016 NFL Draft a little over 24 hours away, it was expected these talks could pick up again. The 49ers might be targeting a quarterback in the first two rounds of the draft, and if they get that guy they could then view Kaepernick expendable. If not? There's a chance that the 49ers just decide to keep Kaepernick and move on with him and former first-round pick Blaine Gabbert at quarterback.
Just had @richeisen on and he thinks Colin Kaepernick is moved by the 49ers in the next 48 hours. Would be surprised if it didn't happen
— Tom Helmer (@Tom_Helmer) April 27, 2016
Now the hurdles that have kept this trade from happening still remain. The Broncos wanted Kaepernick to take a pay cut and play for $7 million dollars, and Kaepernick reportedly balked at this idea. Since this happened, the Broncos have signed a handful of players and might not have the available cap space to make this happen without a pay cut. The Broncos could restructure wide receiver Demaryius Thomas's contract, but that hurts things down the road. So the likelihood of this trade going down still remains up in the air.
General Manager John Elway has a plan, a backup plan and probably a worse case scenario plan ready to acquire a quarterback or two this week. Will it be a trade up for Paxton Lynch? Taking Connor Cook or Christian Hackenberg at 31? Taking Dak Prescott in the 2nd? Trading for Colin Kaepernick or Sam Bradford? Or signing Brian Hoyer? We will all find out in the next 24 to 48 hours.