The door back to the NFL has practically been shut for Colin Kaepernick

Colin Kaepernick seemed to have a lot of momentum early in the NFL offseason. The conclusion of the Super Bowl left a vaccuum of time before free agency got underway, allowing unique storylines to emerge.

The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback training for a return has been a prominent story for quite some time. Rumors of his potential comeback gained steam when he worked out with Seattle Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett.

He also had a workout with the Las Vegas Raiders, which according to them went very well. But then nothing happened. Even though he was not looking for a starting role, Las Vegas decided they had no use for him as a back-up to Derek Carr.

Given that training camps begin in just a few weeks' time, a return to the NFL for the upcoming season has likely been ruled out.

Teams that may have been interested in Colin Kaepernick early in the offseason have filled their quarterback void

San Francisco 49ers v Los Angeles Rams

There was a time earlier this offseason when Kaepernick had several avenues to land not only a job, but a starting role. The Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers were teams in clear need of quarterback help. Even the Houston Texans could be placed in that category, with Davis Mills currently leading the way.

But time has passed and each situation seems to have been resolved. The Panthers made the biggest splash as they traded for Baker Mayfield. While the they claim the job is an open competition, it would be shocking if Mayfield sat at any point behind Sam Darnold.

The Seahawks landed Drew Lock in the Russell Wilson trade and thus placed him in competition with Geno Smith. While Kaepernick may have been a decent fit, the Seahawks have stood their ground with the two quarterbacks that they believe can win.

The Texans seem to believe in Mills after a solid showing during his rookie season in what was an overall mess for the Houston organization.

That leaves Kaepernick without a logical landing spot in 2022. And would a team really bring him in as a back-up given the disturbances he may cause with the fans?

Many believe NFL owners colluded against the quarterback to keep him out of the league following his 2016 national anthem protests. The fact six years have passed and he is yet to return to the league suggests those efforts worked.

There are a handful of excuses in place not to sign him. A team like the Seahawks can go with players like Lock and Smith solely because they have been in the game over the past six years.

Kaepernick, on the other hand, has been trying to make a comeback for years and has had no success. He will turn 35 in November and when 2023 rolls around, teams will have yet another excuse to ignore him for good.