NFL Rumors: There May Be Growing Support For Arizona Cardinals To Sign Colin Kaepernick
Where will Colin Kaepernick end up next? If some fans of the Cardinals have their way, it could be Arizona.
The Cardinals entered the season with hopes of making noise in the NFC West, but have instead faltered after quarterback Carson Palmer went down with what is likely a season-ending injury.
When AzCentral asked readers where they wanted the next franchise quarterback to come from, most hoped the team would look for one through the NFL draft. With a supposedly quarterback-heavy draft coming in 2018 including a handful who could become franchise quarterbacks, many see that as a safe bet.
But a number of other readers hoped that the Cardinals would think a bit more simply and go after the best remaining free agent quarterback available — Colin Kaepernick. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback has been passed over time and time again since opting out of his contract, seeing signal callers with lesser skills and lighter resumes picked for backup and starting jobs.
That has led backers of Colin Kaepernick to believe that he is being blackballed by NFL owners, a claim that Kaepernick is now trying to take up in court. But the suit may end up dying quickly if Kaepernick is given a job, and Arizona might be a logical choice.
While the AzCentral poll may not be scientific, it does show one important factor needed for Kaepernick’s return — a willing fan base. Kaepernick had already been a divisive figure even before starting his national anthem protest, and now is a lightning rod for fans. It would be difficult for a team to pick up Kaepernick if fans were not solidly behind the move, and the apparent support for his signing could be a boost for the Arizona Cardinals.
Report: Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, Bob McNair among owners, officials deposed in Colin Kaepernick collusion case. https://t.co/5Oj2UY7kjc pic.twitter.com/I2xquLfwsn
— theScore (@theScore) November 3, 2017
The outlook still is not great for Colin Kaepernick, NFL pundits note. He appeared to have a good chance to return to the league after Houston Texans starter Deshaun Watson went down with a season-ending ACL tear this week, but the Texans opted to sign journeymen Matt McGloin and T.J. Yates instead.
That did not sit well with many fans and NFL writers, including Steven Ruiz of For The Win. Ruiz wrote that the Texans are essentially giving up on the rest of the season by sticking with a stable of incapable quarterbacks rather than sucking it up and signing Kaepernick.
“And Houston doesn’t have any other options… I guess giving up on the season was also an option,” he wrote.
While some Arizona Cardinals fans may support signing Colin Kaepernick, there aren’t any solid rumors around the NFL that the team is actually considering the move.
[Featured Image by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images]
