The Miami Dolphins are curious about Colin Kaepernick. Could he really end up in Miami?
The Miami Dolphins may or may not be interested in Colin Kaepernick.
But they’re definitely curious.
Dolphins coach Brian Flores said that the organization will have a representative at Kaepernick’s open audition Saturday.
“We do our due diligence on all players so we’ll have someone there,” Flores said. “We’re still finalizing how. We just got the information like you all did, so we’re still finalizing who, when. We’re still kind of going through that. We’ll have somewhere there.”
Flores said that he likes the quarterbacks on the Dolphins’ roster — Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen — but added Kaepernick was a “very good player” when he was in the league and the team is interested in seeing how he looks after a three-year layoff.
Kaepernick’s tryout, which became public Tuesday, will occur at the Falcons’ facility and include an on-field workout. It begins at 3 p.m., according to NFL Network, with an interview, measurements, timing and quarterback drills. It will be recorded for all 32 teams, including those who choose not to attend.
Kaepernick has not played since the end of the 2016 season, when he became a national lightning rod for kneeling during the national anthem in protest of police brutality and racial discrimination. He later filed a grievance against the league for colluding to keep him out of football, and received an undisclosed settlement.
The Dolphins have given a bunch of talented players second chances this year — from Mark Walton to Robert Nkemdiche to Josh Rosen to Taco Charlton — and Kaepernick needs one. And if he looks anything like the player who led the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2012, he could help solidify the Dolphins’ quarterback position not just this year, but next.
“I don’t have a crystal ball,” Flores said, when asked if there’s a place for Kaepernick on this team. “It’s hard to say. We like our quarterback situation right now. We’re going to do our due diligence. Any time we can add a good player, we’re going to do that. There’s a lot of moving parts to that. Chris and the personnel staff, they do a good job from that standpoint. That’s a conversation that we have with not just one player. We made a lot of transactions this year and those conversations are made on a daily basis. If we feel like any player helps us win, we’ll look into it.”
Kaepernick also became a pariah in some corners locally after saying complimentary things about Cuba’s communist regime.
When asked if a decision on Kaepernick would be solely football related or involve other, off-field considerations, Flores would not say.
“I mean, there’s a lot of layers to that one. To be quite honest, it’s not really I’ve thought a lot about, My focus is squarely on the Bills. I heard about this when you guys did. I taked to Chris. We’ll have somebody there and I went right back to the Bills. That’s kind of where my focus is and that’s where my focus should be. I owe that to the players in that locker room. This is a good team we’re playing against. ... That’s where my energy is right now.”
If Kaepernick signs with the Dolphins, he’ll be reunited with an old teammate. He shared a locker room with Dolphins center Daniel Kilgore for six seasons in San Francisco.
“It’s a huge opportunity for him,” Kilgore said. “If I know Colin, he’s going to be in shape, he’s going to be ready. Should have fresh legs. I’m excited for him. He’s a competitor.
“I’ve known Colin for a while,” he added. “When we were in San Francisco together, he was nothing but a hard worker and a leader of that team. I’m sure he’s anxious to get on the field and show what he’s got. ... Hopefully somebody goes out there and gives him an opportunity.”
This story was originally published November 13, 2019 at 11:26 AM.
