Cris Collinsworth Thinks Colin Kaepernick Can Fix 1 Specific Team
Over the past week, Colin Kaepernick has dominated the NFL landscape. Despite not being on an active roster, the quarterback has taken over the news cycle; just about every football expert and analyst has their own opinion about his workout and his chances of NFL success. NBC’s Cris Collinsworth is no exception to that norm.
Over the weekend, the color commentator waded into the Kaepernick discussion with a surprising opinion. Collinsworth thinks that the quarterback could actually fix one specific NFL team’s issues.
Colin Kaepernick’s NFL workout
Last week, news broke that Colin Kaepernick would take part in an NFL-sanctioned workout. It would take place at the Atlanta Falcons’ practice facility, and representatives of most teams were slated to attend. At the last minute, however, everything changed.
On Saturday, Kaepernick pulled out of the workout, scheduling his own independent session at a nearby high school. While six teams still attended the workout, two conflicting narratives started to emerge. Some suggested that the last-minute switch was a PR stunt, designed to further the perception that Kaepernick is a martyr; others felt that the quarterback wanted to avoid being taken advantage of and worked out on his own terms.
On the field, however, Kaepernick impressed. Scouts reportedly came away from the workout believing that the quarterback still has elite arm strength; while his timing wasn’t spot on, that’s to be expected after several years on the sideline.
Cris Collinsworth weighs in
While Cris Collinsworth might be prone to some blunders in the broadcast booth, he still knows quite a lot about the highest levels of football. He had a legitimate NFL career and has covered the league for three decades; he’s also the owner of Pro Football Focus, an analytics service.
Over the weekend, TMZ Sports spotted the commentator outside of Craig’s in Los Angeles. They asked Collinsworth if he though Kaepernick could land an NFL job after his workout.
“I hope so,” the broadcaster answered. “He’s a good player. That would be great.” When asked which team he thought that the quarterback could fit in, Collinsworth picked out his old club. “The Bengals, hopefully. He’ll fix ’em,” he concluded.
Could Colin Kaepernick fix the Cincinnati Bengals?
Colin Kaepernick hasn’t been on an NFL roster since the end of the 2016-2017 season. How would he fit in with the Cincinnati Bengals?
Purely in terms of the depth chart, Kaepernick would easily slot into the number one spot. Andy Dalton’s time as a starter is done, and he has been benched in favor of Ryan Finley. While the Bengals will want to see what the rookie can do, it’s hard to imagine the fourth-round pick stealing the show. In a best-case scenario, Kaepernick would solve the quarterback problem, allowing Cincinnati to focus on other issues; in a worst-case situation, the quarterback could keep the seat warm for a few seasons as the franchise figures out their long term goal.
At the same time, framing his responsibility in terms of “fixing” a team isn’t completely fair to Colin Kaepernick. While some quarterbacks are brought in as saviors, plenty of players aren’t expected to perform miracles; they’re simply the brought in to do a job. Even if he’s not the long-term answer, Kaepernick is still good enough to start for more than a few NFL teams. Someone, whether it’s the Bengals or not, just need to give him a chance.
