3 NFL teams that could use Colin Kaepernick right now

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has revealed that the NFL has reached out to him about a surprise workout in Atlanta on Saturday. The circumstances are strange and feed speculation of a publicity stunt, but the 32-year-old is hopeful he can prove he’s still equipped to perform at a professional level.

Kaepernick last played in an NFL game on January 1, 2017 in a 25-23 loss to Seattle. The controversy surrounding his act of kneeling during the national anthem has left him without NFL employment since.

Fast forward to the current NFL season, in which 51 quarterbacks have earned a start because of a plague of injuries, and Kaepernick has emerged as a hot topic of conversation. Many people have questioned if the dual-threat signal-caller would finally get his chance to return, as teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts and Washington Redskins have dug deep in the depth chart to find suitable starting talent.

Those franchises aren’t the only ones in need of help at quarterback. With Saturday just around the corner, here are the three teams who could most use Kaepernick at this moment.

1. Chicago Bears

No team has been hit harder with questions about its quarterback than the Mitch Trubisky-led Chicago Bears. Heading into 2019 the Bears looked capable of making another playoff run and potentially topping the NFC North for the second consecutive year, but the offense has made it clear that is no longer a reality.

The Bears rank 30th in passing, with 181.7 yards per game, and the rushing offense isn’t doing much to make up for it. Trubisky’s numbers are lousy, as he’s completed 63.6% of his passes for 1,390 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions.

The Bears are 4-5, sit third in the NFC North and have fallen far out of the postseason conversation, with +15000 Super Bowl odds. Trubisky isn’t cutting it, and Kaepernick could provide the boost the Bears need to attempt a playoff push over the next month and a half.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Jameis Winston with the first overall pick in the 2015 draft, and so far it hasn’t paid off. Winston could become a free agent in 2020 and most likely should based off his performance in 2019.

In nine games Winston has thrown for 2,765 yards on 59.7% passing, with 17 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and eight fumbles. In his last four games, Winston has nine interceptions.

The 3-6 Bucs have stuck with the Florida State product, while just about every other team facing quarterback trouble has given at least one backup a shot to start. The Bucs' second-string quarterback, Ryan Griffin, doesn't offer much confidence, as he has never thrown a regular-season pass in six NFL seasons.

Tampa Bay (+10000 odds to win the NFC South) might not be so afraid to pull the trigger and bench Jameis if Kaepernick is sitting behind him in line.

3. Carolina Panthers

The Bears and the Bucs need a near miracle to make the postseason, but the Carolina Panthers are in the hunt, at +5000 odds to win the Super Bowl. The second-place team in the NFC South has benefited from a quarterback switch, after second-year pocket passer Kyle Allen replaced oft-injured Cam Newton in Week 3.

Allen has a 5-2 record as the Panthers’ starter and has tallied 1,598 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. He is filling in well for the offense, but having an experienced quarterback familiar with the NFL’s biggest stage could propel Carolina down the stretch.

The Panthers feature a run-focused offense, led by MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey (1,385 yards from scrimmage, 14 total touchdowns). Add in Kaepernick—who recorded four 100-yard rushing games and ran for 2,300 yards in his career—and the Panthers might surprise the league with a playoff run in 2019.

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