Could Colin Kaepernick End Up in the AFC West?

As the NFL has changed its tone about protests and athlete activism, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has returned to the headlines. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has now said he would "encourage" a team to sign Kaepernick.

"Well, listen, if he wants to resume his career in the NFL, then obviously it's going to take a team to make that decision," Goodell told ESPN. "But I welcome that, support a club making that decision and encourage them to do that."

Now, it looks like a potential landing spot for Kaepernick could bring him to the AFC West.

On Wednesday, Los Angeles Chargers Head Coach Anthony Lynn, one of only three Black NFL head coaches, said that Kaepernick may earn a look in LA.

"That's something that's probably on the workout list," Lynn said. "I haven't spoken with Colin, not sure where he's at as far as his career, what [he wants] to do. But Colin definitely fits the style of quarterback and the system that we're going to be running. I'm very confident and happy with the three quarterbacks that I have, but you can never have too many people waiting on the runway."

More from SI's ChargerReport:

"Kaep was a starting quarterback, a Super Bowl quarterback in this league," Lynn says. "It would be crazy to not have him on your workout list."
And while Kaepernick's past protests might scare off some teams, the Chargers' head coach is no stranger to speaking out against social injustice. Lynn took part in a Black Live Matter march last month in Huntington Beach, an experience he described as "going to a war zone." He has also talked to his players about using their voices in the national dialogue. Perhaps most importantly, Lynn refuses to excuse those conflating Kaepernick's message with anti-military sentiments.
"Everyone should know right now why Colin Kaepernick took a knee," Lynn says. "I'm not going to tell someone how to protest or how not to protest, but Colin Kaepernick took a knee to bring awareness to the situation."

So, could Kaepernick end up in the AFC West? Should he? Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu made his position clear: Kaepernick should be in the NFL.

“I had the luxury to play against him early in my career,” Mathieu said in a video conference with reporters in June. “I definitely feel like he’s worked [to be] a part of any NFL team, whether it be as a starter or backup.”