Report: 'Increased Hopes' Colin Kaepernick Could Sign Contract with NFL Team

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been out of the NFL for three seasons after a 2016 campaign that saw the signal-caller protest racial inequality and police brutality via kneeling protests during the pregame national anthem.

Kaepernick hasn't been able to land on a roster since then, but there's hope that might change soon, per Mark Maske of the Washington Post.

"The league is not likely to do anything like last year's failed workout negotiations to try to have Colin Kaepernick signed by a team, a source said. But there are increased hopes by some in and around the NFL that circumstances are more favorable for a team to sign Kaepernick."

The former Nevada star completed 59.8 percent of his passes for 72 touchdowns, 30 interceptions and 7.3 yards per pass attempt in six seasons with San Francisco. He also rushed for 2,300 yards and 13 scores.

He took over as the 49ers' starting quarterback midway through the 2012 NFL season and guided the 49ers to an NFC title and near-Super Bowl win over the Baltimore Ravens. San Francisco went 12-4 the following year and reached the NFC Championship Game, where the 49ers lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.

His final three years did not prove as successful, with the team failing to register a winning record from 2014 to 2016. Turnover reigned on the coaching staff with the team having three separate head coaches in three years.

Kaepernick was splitting snaps with Blaine Gabbert by the time his career in San Francisco was over, but he still managed 16 touchdown passes to just four interceptions in his final year.

The Seahawks were interested in signing Kaepernick a few years ago but postponed a meeting with him after the quarterback declined to tell the team that he would stop his kneeling protests during the national anthem, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Kaepernick also took part in a November 2019 tryout and received good reviews for his work, with CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones as one example.

"My takeaways from the live feed: more casual than most pro days, arm strength absolutely there, solid mobility on rollouts, timing with WRs understandably not consistently good," he wrote.

He was not picked up by a team then, but this offseason provides another opportunity for a team to sign the 32-year-old.

The 2020 NFL season is scheduled to begin Sept. 10.