3 reasons NFL teams did not sign Colin Kaepernick this offseason

The comeback trail for Colin Kaepernick looks to be practically over. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback has been out of the NFL since early 2017. He has spent a lot of time trying to make it back, while possibly battling against collusion from league owners.

Such collusion did not magically disappear in 2022, but teams had a few more legitimate reasons not to sign the signal-caller this offseason. Several factors stand out as reasons to pass on the former NFC champion.

Here are three reasons why Colin Kaepernick remains unsigned.

#1 Too much time away from the field

San Francisco 49ers v Atlanta Falcons

As previously mentioned, Kaepernick has not played in a game since the 2016 season. Forget about his stats that season, the fact that he's been away from the NFL for a long time means his game is likely to have regressed.

The landscape of the NFL has changed in the past few years, with the emergence of new stars in Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen.

Fans who support Kaepernick can point to the fact that he is arguably better than certain backups around the league. While likely true, teams sometimes just want people they know and who have been around the game to help run the offense from the sidelines.

#2 Colin Kaepernick is 34 years old

Colin Kaepernick NFL Workout

The quarterback's saga has been going on for so long that it's easy to forget that he is now 34 years old. He will turn 35 in November. Sure, a player like Tom Brady is pushing the boundaries of what was conventionally seen as proper NFL retirement age. But Brady is an outlier in that regard.

Colin Kaepernick can say he is fresh for his age because he has been away from the game for years. The problem is that most teams in the NFL are looking for a young quarterback to take over the offense for a decade or more. Kaepernick can't offer that.

He would also be doing so at an older age where he likely lacks the kind of explosiveness that made him a star a decade ago.

#3 An increased talent pool in the NFL

San Francisco 49ers v Chicago Bears

There is a new crop of talent entering the NFL every single year. This means more young quarterbacks around the league are showing up and competing for jobs. Even Jimmy Garoppolo is struggling to find a top landing spot and he nearly reached the Super Bowl last season.

There was a point in time when Kaepernick was fresh out of the league and still seen as a top athlete who could run an offense. Unfortunately, while sidelined he has seen six years of quarterback classes enter the NFL and fill the spots that once made sense for him.