San Francisco 49ers Rumors: Players Want Colin Kaepernick Benched
San Francisco 49ers rumors have Colin Kaepernick’s teammates turning on him. The rumors state 49ers players want Kaepernick benched immediately in favor of a new starting quarterback. A report from CBS Sports reveals that several players reportedly texted a reporter following a loss to the St. Louis Rams on Sunday, November 1. In those texts, the players reportedly stated that it is “time for Colin Kaepernick to be benched.”
The 49ers lost to the Rams (27-6) in a game that included the offense giving up a safety in the first quarter. It didn’t get much better from there, as the 49ers offense would only manage 189 total net yards on the day. Kaepernick completed just 20-of-41 passes for 162 yards and no touchdowns. He also missed throwing to a wide open receiver that the defense didn’t cover on a play from the one-yard line.
Looking at the overall stats for the team, fans might not be too surprised that these San Francisco 49ers rumors have come up. The team ranks last in the NFL in points per game (13.6) and yards per game (282.2), showing why the 49ers have posted a 2-6 record so far. Despite losing some key defensive players in the past offseason, fans were still holding out hope that the team could compete for one of the NFC wild card spots. Nothing has gone according to that plan so far.
In eight games this season, Colin Kaepernick has completed 59.3 percent of his passes for 1,615 yards. He also has six touchdowns and five interceptions, but has been sacked 28 times by opponents. On the ground, Kaepernick has another 256 rushing yards, one touchdown, and five fumbles. Most of his numbers, other than touchdown passes, are right on pace with what he has done in the past. It is the win-loss record that might have fans and teammates suggesting it is time for a change.
As the article and NFL analyst Jerry Rice has suggested, the San Francisco 49ers rumors don’t necessarily point to teammates wanting Kaepernick off the team. The call to have him benched is an idea to allow him to clear his head and return later in the season. It would likely be too late to compete for anything of consequence at that point, though, especially with Blaine Gabbert as the primary backup at quarterback. Moving in a different direction at this point might allow the franchise to take a hard look at what it is trying to do for the long-term future.
The 49ers play against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9, with a start time of 1:05 p.m. PT on Sunday, November 8. It’s a tough game, as the Falcons are now 6-2 on the season and holding on to one of the NFC wild card spots. The Falcons average 414.8 yards per game, which ranks fourth best in the entire league, putting a very tough task on the defense of the 49ers. It also means that the 49ers will likely have to score a lot of points to stay competitive in this game. On the season, the Falcons also average 26.6 points per game.
Colin Kaepernick just started a long-term contract that calls for him to be paid about $114 million over six years. He still has five more seasons under that deal, with his salary topping out at $21 million during the 2020 NFL season. $61 million of the deal is guaranteed money as well, so the 49ers cannot just cut him and not suffer a big hit financially. To quiet the San Francisco 49ers rumors about Kaepernick getting benched, the front office may have to issue a statement about what the plan is moving forward. Otherwise, the rumors could end up creating a very hostile environment if it’s true that players are talking to the press about having their quarterback benched.
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