Colin Kaepernick Contract: Latest News, Rumors on Future with 49ers

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has an opt-out clause in his contract that will make him a free agent this offseason. He is expected to exercise that clause and test the open market.

Continue for updates.

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Kaepernick's Protests Could Hurt Market if QB Opts Out

Tuesday, Jan. 3

“I wouldn’t touch the guy,” a "personnel man from a quarterback-needy team" told Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News. “(He) still has some in the tank, but (is) not worth bringing him into your building...too much of a distraction and also not what you want in the locker room.”

“No one likes the protest stuff,” another league source told Samuel. “That won’t help.”

However, an "NFC senior personnel" executive told Samuel that Kaepernick will eventually sign with a team because he is 29 and threw 16 touchdowns to four interceptions this season.

“Someone will think they can find the old Kaepernick,” the personnel executive said, per Samuel.

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Kaepernick Comments on Opt-Out Clause

Tuesday, Dec. 6

Kaepernick told reporters he has not decided to opt out of his contract and that a decision will come at the end of the season.

After the season ended on Jan. 1, head coach Chip Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke were fired.

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Kaepernick's Future Cloudy in San Fran After Benching

Monday, Dec. 5

Jason Cole of Bleacher Report reported the 49ers' coaching staff "isn't sold" on Kaepernick and that the quarterback may not want to stay in San Francisco:

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Kaepernick Reportedly Will Opt Out of Current Deal with Niners

Sunday, Dec. 4

Kaepernick will reportedly void his contract after the season and become a free agent, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Rapoport added that Kaepernick's return to San Francisco shouldn't be ruled out:

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Some factors are at play. First, he's playing great, becoming the quarterback Chip Kelly always imagined in his system (even during his time in Philadelphia). Second, the once-strained relationship between the franchise and the quarterback is in a very good place.

They stood by him while he took a hard social stance, he appreciated that, and most of the issues that lingered when he nearly was traded to the Broncos have dissipated. Things are good, and him putting his San Jose house on the market this week had nothing to do with football.

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Kaepernick Has Improved For Struggling 49ers

The 29-year-old registered 2,241 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions, completing 59.2 percent of his passes. He's also rushed for 468 yards and two scores in Kelly's uptempo, zone-read offense.

While the 2-14 49ers only won one of his starts, Rapoport wrote that "opposing coaches have privately noted after each game that [the Niners] look like a team that is playing well...just without a lot of ready talent."

Additionally, this year's NFL draft appears to be rich in defensive talent. While seven of the top 10 prospects on Matt Miller's big board come on the defensive side of the ball, his highest evaluated quarterback is North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky at No. 9. Drafting a quarterback early in the first round won't represent the best value for a team that needs a lot of help.

A reunion between Kaepernick and the Niners makes sense, though it might be costly. Furthermore, the team can't franchise-tag him this offseason.

When Kaepernick and the Niners restructured his contract in October, the Niners benefited from removing four years from the deal, while Kaepernick secured a player option. The original contract was for six years and $114 million.

Despite the on-field results, in a quarterback-driven league, Kaepernick should find plenty of suitors.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.