This is a more complicated question than is commonly understood and tends to devolve into a messy political fight, so let’s get the messy political fight out of the way upfront. Colin Kaepernick is definitely being blacklisted for his decision to kneel during the national anthem to protest injustices against black people and people of color. He is unquestionably one of the 60 best quarterbacks in football, he is almost certainly one of the top 30 quarterbacks in football, and there is, frankly, a lot of terrible quarterback play in the NFL right now. Kaepernick’s protest has become a political lightning rod and I would wager most people do not actually understand the purpose of the protest. For those on the right it is often referred to incorrectly as a protest against the military or the President, and many on the left have indeed co-opted the message as a protest against the President. The NFL itself took steps to alter and neuter that message as one of unity through their counter-protest of having players and fans join arms.
Whatever you think of the merits of Kaepernick’s protest, it unquestionably did not sit well with many NFL fans, and ownership does not appreciate anything divisive that may tarnish the brand. Kaepernick probably would have a job if he were an elite quarterback, but he’s not. While he’s certainly better than the Josh McCown’s of the world, he isn’t good enough to be indispensable to any team, and making full use of his talents as a read-option passer takes a certain amount of creativity that many NFL teams lack.
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Kaepernick’s other big issue is that he is, perhaps unfairly, not well regarded as a clipboard holder. That may sound silly, but many teams use their backup quarterback as more of a coach than a player, which is why backup quarterbacks like Philadelphia head coach and former Packer Doug Pederson wind up in the coaching ranks. In some ways, Kaepernick is viewed as a “starter only” across the league.
In a vacuum, if I were a GM I would sign Kaepernick in a heartbeat. I love players who are undervalued for non-football reasons (provided they are not violent crimes), and I think Kaepernick can still be very good. He is one of the best running quarterbacks ever to play the game, and his ability to hit big passes or runs in a read-option system makes him extremely dangerous. Any competently run team should be able to find value in his skillset.
The Packers do not exist in a vacuum. Coming into the season, Green Bay had the league’s best quarterback as the starter, and prospect Brett Hundley, as the backup. Joe Callahan was merely practice-squad fodder. It’s entirely possible that Hundley will end up as a bust, but the Packers have plenty invested in him, and it’s too soon to make that determination. He has also had some of the best quarterback training a person can have, and stardom, or at least averageness isn’t out of the question. Bailing on Hundley after one bad game would be the act of a dysfunctional front office.
Kaepernick isn’t a great fit for the McCarthy system. He has succeeded in run-first offenses where he can use his mobility to force defenders into impossible decisions. McCarthy’s offense is more complicated, requiring receivers and quarterbacks to always make the same read. This may sound like a knock on Kaepernick, but it’s just as much of a knock on McCarthy, who seems to have issues adjusting his system to the talent around him. It’s ironic that the primary reason I wouldn’t advocate the Packers sign Kaepernick is also the reason I think Hundley will have trouble succeeding.
Colin Kaepernick seems like an obvious fix for a lot of teams in need of a quarterback, especially if you don’t care about his politics, but as a backup who only has experience in a few very specific systems, he’s not a great fit. There is also no urgency to sign Kaepernick, because no one else seems to be in a hurry to do so. It’s ridiculous that he’s not on the Jets or the Dolphins, and the Bears should absolutely have signed him over Mike Glennon just to terrify Dom Capers and Packer fans twice a year, but for the system-specific draft-and develop Packers, he is strictly for emergencies only. If the option is Callahan or Kaepernick starting games, it’s an easy call.
