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Should Carolina Panthers sign Colin Kaepernick?

By Christian Candeloro

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 24: Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 24, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 24: Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 24, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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The much-maligned quarterback is back on everyone’s radar. Should the Panthers be interested in Colin Kaepernick?

The Carolina Panthers have a quarterback conundrum. Cam Newton is done for the season and potentially forever in Carolina. Back-up turned starter Kyle Allen fell off the deep-end against Atlanta on Sunday, throwing for four interceptions in a 29-3 loss.

With the Panthers fading from the playoff picture fast, something drastic might be necessary to give this team any chance of earning a wild card spot. The biggest shake-up this team could make would be to replace the struggling Allen, who has nine interceptions and three touchdowns in his last four games.

The answer could be to attempt to let third-round pick Will Grier take the reins and play for this season as much next. The alternative could be the best available free-agent quarterback: Colin Kaepernick.

Kaepernick held a workout for all NFL teams on Saturday – a workout that the Carolina Panthers did not attend. Even still, his workout video was available to all NFL teams and from every indication, Kaepernick’s workout was excellent.

The Panthers have to decide what they want their priority to be for the rest of the season. If the goal at 5-5 is still to make the playoffs, then a quarterback change is absolutely necessary. Allen is simply not good enough to get this talented Panthers team into the playoffs.

Frankly, who knows if Kaepernick is either. The last time Kaepernick took a snap was in 2016 and led the 49ers to a 1-10 record. However, he did throw for 16 touchdowns to just four interceptions and was forced to work with the dumpster fire that was Chip Kelly’s tenure in San Francisco.

His last full season was 2014 and good workout or not, it’s tough to evaluate how effective he’d be on an NFL field.

RIVERDALE, GA – NOVEMBER 16: Colin Kaepernick makes a pass during a private NFL workout held at Charles R Drew high school on November 16, 2019 in Riverdale, Georgia. Due to disagreements between Kaepernick and the NFL the location of the workout was abruptly changed. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
RIVERDALE, GA – NOVEMBER 16: Colin Kaepernick makes a pass during a private NFL workout held at Charles R Drew high school on November 16, 2019 in Riverdale, Georgia. Due to disagreements between Kaepernick and the NFL the location of the workout was abruptly changed. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

While it’s a good thought and I think overall that Kaepernick would be an improvement over Allen, the Carolina Panthers need to pass on the veteran quarterback. Kaepernick would need time to get acclimated to the Panthers’ offense. Time Carolina doesn’t have to spare. The Panthers go on the road against the Saints on Sunday in a must-win game, with a loss all but ending the season.

Unfortunately, the Panthers just aren’t in a position to try and go for broke and win a Super Bowl this season. If a quarterback change is in order, it should be to evaluate Grier in an effort to decide if the team is should draft a quarterback in the 2020 Draft.

Kaepernick isn’t in the long term plans and doesn’t give them a better chance to win in 2020 than Newton or a high-draft pick at quarterback does. That’s why the Panthers should pass on him, even if it gives them a better chance to win than Allen.

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