Colin Kaepernick Injury: Updates on 49ers Star's Back and Return

Quarterback Colin Kaepernick is a key part of the San Francisco 49ers' pursuit of a Super Bowl title. Unfortunately, Kap's status is in question as he's dealing with a back injury.

Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee reported the news:

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The 49ers added quarterback Colin Kaepernickto their practice participation report today with a back injury. Kaepernick was not listed on Wednesday’s report and went through Thursday’s practice in full, signaling that the issue is unlikely to cause him to miss any of Sunday’s game.

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It’s unknown what caused the current injury. Kaepernick took several shots, including a big one from Bears defensive end Jared Allen, during Sunday’s loss. He also was in on a tackle following one of his interceptions. Kaepernick was observed doing back exercises with a medicine ball prior to today’s practice.

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Kaepernick is easily one of the NFL's most exciting signal-callers. He possesses a rare blend of skills including a rocket arm, blazing speed and ideal size. There is no doubt that the University of Nevada product is among the fastest-rising stars in the league.

The 26-year-old gunslinger became the Niners' starting quarterback midway through the 2012 season. He helped lead them to the Super Bowl, where they fell just short against the Baltimore Ravens. Kaepernick then started all 16 games in 2013 and brought San Francisco within one win of reaching the Super Bowl for a second consecutive year.

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

With Kaepernick quickly establishing himself as arguably the best dual-threat quarterback in the league, the 49ers locked him up during the offseason with a six-year contract worth as much as $126 million.

Not only did that give Kaepernick some security, but it also proved that the Niners believe in him and are committed to making him the face of the franchise for many years to come. With more money and notoriety comes more responsibility, however.

Entering the 2014 season, 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh heaped tons of praise and expectations on his quarterback, per ESPN.com:

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I really expect a real breakout year for Colin. Athletically, he looks bionic. If you all remember 'The Six Million Dollar Man,' that's what it looks like to me. He's very gifted and he always has been. He has the look and feel of a guy who's really going to break out, even more so than he already has. I'm really excited about everything about his game right now.

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Kaepernick's "bionic" body has largely helped him avoid injury over the course of his young career, but he is now faced with a new and difficult challenge. Kap isn't used to being banged up too much at the NFL level, so it will be interesting to see how he handles it.

Anything less than hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at the Super Bowl will be considered a disappointment for the Niners this season. Even Kaepernick himself entered the year with that goal and expectation in mind, according to Taylor Price of 49ers.com.

"I think this team has the talent, we have the coaching staff to win a Super Bowl," Kaepernick said. "Now it's just time to go out and do it."

The 49ers are certainly among the top contenders, but reaching that point is nearly impossible unless Kaepernick is at full health. San Francisco is stacked with excellent players on both sides of the ball; however, Kap is the conductor of the orchestra offensively.

He opens things up in a big way due to his versatility. He also has a penchant for loosening up the defense and making huge plays, as evidenced by this stat courtesy of Pro Football Focus:

As good as the 49ers are from top to bottom, the NFL is largely about quarterback play. The much-maligned Blaine Gabbert will likely step in if Kap is forced to miss time, and it is hard to imagine him having much success even with a ton of support.

With that in mind, San Francisco desperately needs Kaepernick back in action as soon as possible. At the same time, the 49ers have a long-term investment in their franchise quarterback and can't afford to have him risk further injury.

The Niners are stuck in a tough situation, so all they can do is hope that Kaepernick progresses quickly.

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