With the aging Josh McCown continuing to lose games, and the legal problems for Johnny Manziel looming, it may just be time to start looking outside of the box at the QB position.
In this case, the Browns may need to look outside of the AFC all together, and take a solid look at Colin Kaepernick. He had met with incredible success in the Jim Harbaugh system in San Francisco until coach left for Michigan earlier this year.
Kaepernick led the 49ers to the NFC championship game twice, and the Super Bowl during that three year stretch. He has struggled mighty since Harbaugh left and a change of scenery might be the best thing for the talented quarterback.
As recently as last summer, this sounded impossible because on June 4, Kaepernick signed a six-year contract extension, worth up to $126 million, including $54 million in potential guarantees, and $13 million fully guaranteed to be the face of the franchise.
Things change quickly in the NFL, and this is another clear example of how. His numbers were decent last year, with 19 touchdowns and 10 picks, but this season he has plummeted and the team is off to a terrible 2-5 start as well with new head coach Jim Tomasula calling the shots.
All signs point to the 49ers trying to get out of the contract and move in a different direction. There is no reason to think that a phone call to the Bay wouldn’t at least be worth Ray Farmer’s time. He is on the hot seat in Cleveland, and perhaps Kaepernick is the only thing that could save his job.
Couple these factors in with Kaepernick’s subpar performance against the two-time defending NFC champion–and hated arch rival Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks in a 20-3 loss on Thursday Night Football, and this move may be a win-win for both parties.
Stranger things have happened, it was only two years ago that the Browns traded away the 3rd overall pick Trent Richardson. It may be a risky move on both parts, but one that both franchises should be willing to consider. The Browns are once again pick-heavy, perhaps a pick combined with Austin Davis–or Manziel, Justin Gilbert or even Crowell, might just be what it takes?