Kansas City Chiefs: Colin Kaepernick Not a Good Fit for Chiefs
By Jesse Holt
Fans of the Kansas City Chiefs desperately want to see the team win a Super Bowl. Is replacing Alex Smith with Colin Kaepernick the way to see that happen? Probably not.
Year in and year out, Kansas City Chiefs fans constantly find themselves looking for the next great thing at quarterback. Despite the best efforts of Alex Smith, some of the fan base will never truly embrace him.
That’s why you hear some members of Chiefs Kingdom enthusiastically calling for General Manager John Dorsey to acquire Tony Romo or Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason.
While that’s all well and good, there is one free agent quarterback that I hope Dorsey chooses to ignore when looking at all the options. Allow me to summarize in a hypothetical letter to him below.
"Dear Mr. Dorsey,Please do not sign Colin Kaepernick. That is all.Sincerely,Chiefs Kingdom"
The aforementioned letter might be drastic, but I truly believe signing Colin Kaepernick would not improve the Chiefs enough for it to be worthwhile.
Does Controversy Play a Role?
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The biggest reason anyone can make against Colin Kaepernick becoming a Chief is due to the controversy surrounding him. As was well-documented, he chose to kneel for the playing of the National Anthem prior to games last season. Those actions helped make him the NFL’s most disliked player in a poll conducted last season by ESPN.
Kaepernick has since stated that he will no longer protest the playing of the National Anthem this season. Regardless, one has to wonder if permanent damage has been done to his reputation in the eyes of fans.
Also, with cornerback Marcus Peters engaging in protests of his own during the National Anthem last season, one has to wonder if the KC Chiefs want to potentially throw more gas on that fire by bringing in the man who initiated them.
Comparing Kaepernick and Smith
Setting aside the protests and looking specifically at Kaepernick’s contributions on the field, one is still unable to make a case for him to be a Chief. It’s true that Kaepernick did initially burst onto the scene in 2012 replacing Alex Smith due to injury and helped lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl berth. He also followed it up with a NFC Championship appearance the following season.
Since then, Kaepernick’s fortunes have taken a startling reversal. He’s spent most of the past two seasons battling with former Mizzou quarterback Blaine Gabbert for the starting job.
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Once Kaepernick took over the 49ers offense last season, he didn’t set the world on fire. In 12 games, he would post a completion rate of 59.2% with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions.
For comparisons sake, Alex Smith finished the season with a rate of 67.1%, 15 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 15 games. While Kaepernick’s stats may be a little better on the surface, one must consider the differing offenses the two teams utilize.
Chip Kelly prioritized a very fast-paced system in San Francisco complete with quick snaps while Andy Reid’s system currently has a strong emphasis on the run game and ball-control.
It’s also pertinent to look at wins and losses. Over the last four years, Smith boasts a record of 41 wins and 20 losses while Kapernick has 23 wins and 28 losses.
That alone shows the difference between the two. Smith not only has accumulated more wins and less losses, but he’s also started ten more games than his former teammate during that time.
Next: Is Alex Smith One of the Best Quarterbacks in Chiefs History?
And The Verdict is…
It’s easy to point to quarterback as a position where an upgrade would help the Chiefs immensely. Alex Smith is not a dynamic playmaker and rarely shows the ability to will the Chiefs to a win. One has to wonder if he is indeed good enough to lead the Chiefs to a Super Bowl victory.
That being said, Kaepernick is not the man for the job at this stage of his career. If the Chiefs make a move this offseason, trading up in the draft to acquire DeShaun Watson or Mitch Trubisky is more prudent.
KC Kingdom, would you give any thought to signing Colin Kaepernick as a free agent? Feel free to discuss below!