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A measly $4.9 million.
That's all that stands in the way of Colin Kaepernick becoming a member of the Denver Broncos.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Broncos are willing to pay $7 million of Kaepernick's $11.9 million guaranteed salary for 2016.
But, as Schefter said, Denver and Kaepernick would like San Francisco to pay the remaining $4.9 million; the 49ers have been unwilling, a source told Schefter, believing they should not have to pay for a player they'd like to keep on their roster. Schefter also said that Kaepernick has been unwilling to forfeit the $4.9 million to make the deal work.
Further update: Colin Kaepernick trade to Broncos being held up by $4.9 million. Here's how:https://t.co/aFQucYha3D
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 3, 2016
Schefter continued:
A high-level source says "it would take two seconds" for the teams to finalize the proposed deal. The compensation in the trade is a nonissue, per sources familiar with deal. It will be a mid-round pick and sources from both teams said that will not be any holdup and they can "finalize it with one phone call."
If the 49ers really wanted to keep Kaepernick on their roster, why did they allow him to meet with Elway on Thursday for at least the second time? If San Francisco really wanted to keep Kaepernick, why has it agreed to the parameters of a trade?
This also shows Elway has some major chutzpah to even ask the 49ers to pay that $4.9 million.
As we have seen in the past - heck, we saw it with Russell Okung - Elway gets his guy.
You would think if the parties are this close to a deal, it will happen - at any second. Since the $4.9 million is all that stands in the way of a trade, they should be able to reach an agreement.