NFL Rumors: Houston Texans May Be Under Pressure To Sign Colin Kaepernick As Collusion Lawsuit Moves Forward
The NFL rumors surrounding Colin Kaepernick are building up as his collusion lawsuit moves forward, with some reports that the Houston Texans may be feeling the pressure to sign the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback and end his NFL exile.
Kaepernick has been out of a job since opting out of his 49ers contract following last season, a move that came as the team made it clear Kaepernick would have been cut from the roster. Since then he has seen a number of lesser-talented and lighter-experienced quarterbacks land jobs as both backups and starters, with no team showing any real level of interest in signing him.
That has led Kaepernick to file a grievance against the NFL claiming that owners are colluding to keep him out of the league due to his political views and his national anthem protest.
There appears to be a perfect opening for Colin Kaepernick after sensational Houston Texans starter Deshaun Watson went down with a season-ending ACL tear. The Texans had struggled greatly when quarterback Tom Savage was at the helm earlier in the year, and the free agent landscape is bleak beyond Kaepernick.
Still, the Texans decided to give a chance to journeymen Matt McGloin and T.J. Yates and even signed Josh Johnson, who has been out of the league for quite a while and hasn’t thrown a pass in an NFL game since 2011. That has led to increasing calls among fans for the Texans to sign Kaepernick, and speculation that owner Bob McNair may feel pressure to sign Kaepernick and potentially bring an end to the grievance against the NFL.
Colin Kaepernick's attorney says his meeting with Roger Goodell was nixed after Kap requested a mediator be present: https://t.co/w36fPJ4ucG
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 8, 2017
As WTOP noted, Houston’s decision could have ramifications across the league.
“Now, evidence of it is mounting in spades against the NFL and its teams in light of their collective refusal to sign a clearly capable quarterback currently on the market while clearly inferior players keep getting contracts. And whether or not there is any evidence on Jerry Jones’ cellphone, none of it matters in light of this: If the Houston Texans don’t sign Colin Kaepernick, the league is out of excuses.”
If could be more than just helping the rest of the owners around the league. Many believe Colin Kaepernick would be the best fit in Houston and could replicate much of the offense built around Deshaun Watson. ESPN writer Sarah Barshop noted that Kaepernick could bring a dimension that Yates, McGloin, and Savage have not so far — an ability to make plays with his legs and kick-start an often stagnant offense without Watson.
If the NFL rumors pointing to a return for Colin Kaepernick come true, it may need to happen soon. The Houston Texans will likely try to settle in with a quarterback for the remainder of the season, and at 3-5 risk falling out of the playoff race soon if they do not find some stability at quarterback.
[Featured Image by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images]
