Colin Kaepernick is having troubles finding a job right now, but he would be a good fit with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After opting out of his contract with the San Francisco, Kaepernick hasn’t received much interest. Many NFL team’s criticize him because of his regressive play as well as the attention he draws from his off (and on) the field political stances.
Even players have gotten vocal about why Kaepernick is unsigned, like All-Pro Cleveland Brown‘s offensive lineman Joe Thomas.
My thoughts re: @Kaepernick7? Teams don’t currently view him as a starting QB, and NFL teams accept ZERO distractions from their backup QBs.
— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) March 25, 2017
However, there are the reasons why the Steelers taking a shot a on Kaepernick makes sense.
Pittsburgh Steelers Should Sign Colin Kaepernick
Pittsburgh Needs a Back Up Quarterback
The Steelers are in desperate need of a suitable back up quarterback.
In Ben Roethlisberger‘s 13-year career, he has only played a full 16 games in three seasons (2014,2013, 2008). As the two-time Super Bowl pass thrower ages, the one uncertainty is his health, not his game.
However, let’s be honest, how many seasons does the gun slinger even have left after just mulling retirement this past offseason?
Currently, the second stringer listed behind Big Ben is Landry Jones. At times, Jones has shown promise when throwing bombs to Darrius Hayward-Bey, but other times Steelers fans are reminded of his knack of throwing bad interceptions. Like Jones’ untimely interception in the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals during a Wild Card playoff match up.
Right now the only other option left on the roster is Zach Mettenberger, an unproven, young quarterback who has bounced around the league.
The Case For Kaepernick
The Steelers haven’t had a decent second string or third string passer in Roethlisberger’s career. Whenever he would get injured, it seems so did his back up. Prime examples include Byron Leftwich, Bruce Gradkowski, and Charlie Batch.
Kaepernick has been injury free his entire professional career, which is a leg up on the rest of the back ups. He hasn’t missed time for injuries, although he currently underwent some offseason surgeries to clean up ailing issues.
Secondly, the Steelers should take a look at him because of his off-the-charts physical ability. Historically, Pittsburgh has kept an eye on fast back up quarterbacks like Dennis Dixon and Michael Vick. In six seasons, the 6-foot-4, 230 pounds quarterback rushed for 2,300 yards.
Kaepernick has also shown he has the the throwing ability to thrive in the NFL. Everyone remembers him taking over the team in 2013 and leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl, but some forget how he got there.
Kaepernick threw all over the place, including a career-high 412 yards, three touchdown game against the Green Bay Packers. His ability to make plays with his arm hasn’t staggered. In five straight seasons, he has thrown for plays 57 yards or longer.
But, the problem has always been with his mental comprehension of the game. He has consistently made poor throws like throwing across his body for a pick-six. And, he has been an issue off the field, even before the National Anthem protests began.
What would revitalize Kaepernick would be a scenario where he is surrounded by an organization that believes in him and gives him proper guidance. That place could be Pittsburgh. Head coach Mike Tomlin runs a no-nonsene locker room, even when it comes to stars like Antonio Brown.
The Steelers have one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL with offensive coordinator Todd Haley and playmakers like Brown and All-Pro rusher Le’Veon Bell.
Kaepernick has been vocal about wanting a second chance. He said he will not partake in any on the field protests. With a former star looking to play with a chip on his shoulder, he will likely play for a “show me something” contract.
A cheap, affordable contract supplemented with not much back up options could mean a great relationship for both parties.
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