Colin Kaepernick Rumors: QB Reportedly Likely to Stay with 49ers

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is reportedly on track to remain with the organization heading into the 2016 season despite an offseason with intense speculation about his future.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Thursday the current chances of Kaepernick staying in San Francisco are about 75 percent. He also noted the Denver Broncos could make another run at him, though:   

The 28-year-old Nevada product has been linked to the Broncos for several weeks. Bleacher Report's Jason Cole reported Monday that he's not interested in taking a pay cut to make the trade happen, however, and the 49ers don't want to retain any salary.

Kaepernick's contract is a massive hurdle to any move. He's set to count nearly $16 million against the salary cap in 2016, and that number will rise to more than $21 million by the time his current deal comes to an end after the 2020 campaign, according to Spotrac.

He's avoided making many comments about the situation. In January, he was asked whether he was looking for a fresh start after getting benched midway through last season. He replied he was focused on recovering from shoulder, thumb and knee injuries.

"I'm under contract. I'm a 49er. I'm doing everything I can to make sure I'm prepared for next season," Kaepernick said, per Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group.

The arrival of new head coach Chip Kelly and his fast-paced offensive scheme seemed like a potential lifeline for the struggling quarterback's career. Yet ESPN's Dianna Marie Russini reported Kelly doesn't want Kaepernick to lead the offense, leaving his status further in limbo.

Ultimately, there isn't a perfect solution. The 49ers seem prepared to move on but don't want to be on the hook for a portion of the quarterback's remaining salary in a trade. And his contract for next season became fully guaranteed last Thursday.

Add in the fact Kaepernick is hesitant to accept a pay cut, and all of the sides involved have reached a dead end, at least for the time being. So the fact Schefter pegs his return to San Francisco at around 75 percent makes sense.

The question is whether that will come with an opportunity to earn the starting job or if the 49ers will move on anyway, perhaps using the seventh pick in the draft to select California's Jared Goff or North Dakota State's Carson Wentz.