NFL free agency officially didn’t open until 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, but Denver Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler reportedly already agreed to join the Houston Texans.
His departure is a huge blow for the Broncos, who already lost Super Bowl-winning quarterback Peyton Manning to retirement on Monday.
Without Osweiler and Manning, where does Denver look for its next quarterback? Well, the answer might be in the city where it won Super Bowl 50 in February: San Francisco.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport noted on Twitter that 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick could be the Broncos’ backup plan, and he expanded on the theory later Wednesday to include Robert Griffin III.
Kaepernick used to be one of the most highly regarded young quarterbacks in the league and led the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII after taking over for starter Alex Smith during the regular season. In 2013, Kaepernick helped the 49ers reach a third straight NFC title game, ultimately losing to the Seattle Seahawks.
But that was the end for the 49ers as an elite team. Kaepernick struggled over the next two seasons, as the 49ers went 13-19 in 2014 and 2015 combined, missing the playoffs in both seasons.
Kaepernick started just nine games last season and was benched in favor of backup Blaine Gabbert. He completed 59 percent of his passes for 1,615 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions.
Going to Denver, a team with a loaded receiving corps featuring Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius thomas, might be a nice change of scenery for Kaepernick.
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Thumbnail photo via Kelley L Cox/USA TODAY Sports Images
