Eric Reid on Colin Kaepernick’s Workout: ‘I Think Every Team in the League Could Use Colin’s Help’

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

On Saturday, Panthers safety Eric Reid was one of a few current or former NFL players in attendance at Colin Kaepernick’s workout in suburban Atlanta. Speaking Sunday after Carolina’s 29-3 loss to the Falcons, Reid reiterated that he thinks Kaepernick can still help an NFL roster.

“The goal of this workout was to show the teams that he can play, that he could throw the ball. He did that,” Reid said. “I think we could use Colin’s help. I think every team in the league could use Colin’s help.”

Kaepernick held a workout in front of a limited group of NFL scouts after moving the location of the event on Saturday afternoon. Following the workout, he addressed the media to thank them for coming and said he is waiting to hear from a team to sign him.

"Our biggest thing with everything today was making sure we had transparency with what went on. We weren't getting that elsewhere so we came out here," he said. "I've been ready for three years. I've been denied for three years."

He added: "We're waiting for the 32 owners, 32 teams, Roger Goodell, all of them to stop running. To stop running from the truth. To stop running from the people. Around here we're ready to play. We're ready to go anywhere."

The NFL first announced his workout on Tuesday, but Kaepernick’s camp was upset about the event being scheduled the day before Sunday, meaning team executives would likely not travel to Atlanta.

Reid echoed a similar sentiment during the week, saying that the workout felt "like a PR stunt” and described it as being “disingenuous.”

Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since the 2016 season when he began kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality. 

He opted out of his contract with the 49ers in March 2017 and later filed a grievance against the NFL in October of that year with Reid. The two sides reached a settlement in February 2019.