Ryan Mallett had a disastrous debut filling in for the injured Joe Flacco, heightening the rumors that Colin Kaepernick could soon be making his NFL return.
Earlier this week, the Baltimore Ravens announced that Flacco would miss up to six weeks after a disc issue in his back flared up. At the high end, that would put him out for the beginning of the 2017 NFL season, leaving the Ravens to lean on Ryan Mallett to lead the team going into the season.
If this week’s debut for Mallett as the team’s starter is any indication, they may need to look for more help. Mallett took most of the team’s first-team reps on Friday and ended up throwing at least five interceptions over the course of the practice, CBS Sports reported. It was a particularly bad start for a quarterback still dogged by the reputation as a slacker, one who lost his starting job in Houston after oversleeping and missing a practice, the report noted.
While the Baltimore Ravens have hopes that Flacco can return by next week, his injury is a sensitive one and could keep him out for longer. If that is the case, then free agent Colin Kaepernick is rumored to be a candidate for the team.
“Of course, if Flacco’s back injury ends up keeping him out for more than a week, then Ravens coach John Harbaugh probably needs to get Colin Kaepernick to Baltimore as quickly as possible,” John Breech of CBS Sports noted.
Flacco, who defeated Kaepernick’s San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl, said he was open to the idea of the team signing the controversial quarterback — though not as the starter.
“I would like to see Colin get back in [the NFL] and, at some point, maybe get another shot [to be a starter],” Flacco told ESPN .
“I wouldn’t like that to be here. I do not want him to get another shot [to be a starter] here, but yes, he can come here and have some fun. I think it would be a good spot for him.”
Backup QB Ryan Mallett threw 5 interceptions with Joe Flacco sidelined https://t.co/eTB3E8AV1y
— The Ravens Wire (@TheRavensWire) July 28, 2017
After a torrid start to his career that included a trip to the NFC title game in his first full year as starter and a Super Bowl appearance in his second, Kaepernick experienced a sharp drop-off and lost his starting job in San Francisco. He sparked further controversy when he decided not to stand for the national anthem as a form of protest against police brutality.
Only 3 percent of NFL fans turned off games over Colin Kaepernick’s anthem protests https://t.co/3cl7ui06K9 pic.twitter.com/Fx0HBxpQ8g
— HuffPost BlackVoices (@blackvoices) July 28, 2017
Some NFL insiders believe that Kaepernick is being blackballed because of his stance, as teams have scooped up less-talented quarterbacks to fight for backup roles.
While there are plenty of rumors that Colin Kaepernick could make his NFL return with the Baltimore Ravens, the team has given no official indication they are interested.
[Featured Image by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images]
