Colin Kaepernick Could Be Traded During Draft Week, Says 49ers GM

San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said to Bob Holtzman of ESPN on Wednesday that quarterback Colin Kaepernick could be traded during the week of the NFL draft. 

"I wouldn't say we are out there looking for it, but I wouldn't rule it out," Baalke told Holtzman.

The general manager also revealed that "there's been no talk internally" in regard to Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford, who requested a trade Monday after the team traded up to the No. 2 pick in this year's NFL draft, presumably to draft a quarterback, per ESPN (h/t Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, via Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com).

Kaepernick, meanwhile, has been the subject of trade rumors this entire offseason.

The most popular rumor involved him being traded to the Denver Broncos, though the team reportedly wanted the quarterback to restructure his contract and take a pay cut, per B/R's Jason Cole. There have been conflicting reports about whether Kaepernick would be willing to do so and just how much of a pay cut the Broncos would demand, however.

"It's dormant," Denver Broncos GM John Elway said of trade talks regarding Kaepernick on April 21, per Kevin Patra of NFL.com. "He's been working out from what I understand, so, that's all I can say about it."

Elway did add that a trade offer remained on the table, however, keeping open the possibility that the two sides might yet work out an agreement.

Kaepernick, 28, had his worst professional season in 2015, throwing for 1,615 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions while completing just 59 percent of his passes in nine games. He also rushed for 256 yards and a score. He was demoted in favor of Blaine Gabbert in Week 9 and never earned his starting job back, creating tension that has seemingly carried over into this offseason.

While Kaepernick appears to be a good fit to run head coach Chip Kelly's zone-read offense, the consistent trade rumors involving him suggest that perhaps neither Kaepernick nor the Niners want to continue the relationship. If that's indeed the case, a Kaepernick trade during the draft would hardly come as a surprise.

The Niners will almost assuredly be looking for a first-round pick in any Kaepernick trade, though that asking price may be a bit high after the QB's mediocre 2015. Still, adding draft picks to the stockpile would be beneficial to the 49ers, who have a litany of needs all over the roster and must rebuild what was once a dominant defense.

While two sources told Holtzman that the team was unlikely to draft a quarterback with the No. 7 pick, addressing the position—if Kaepernick is indeed traded—would be another major priority for the team. They could look to do so if they acquire Denver's No. 31 pick—where players like Paxton Lynch, Connor Cook or Christian Hackenberg could potentially be available—or do so on the second day of the draft.

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