Would the Panthers Consider Colin Kaepernick? If Not, Who Should?
Colin Kaepernick has been spotlighted as of late for his peaceful protest against police brutality and systemic racism in America. Kneeling has become the center of attention around the league, with the criticism of Drew Brees being one of the latest additions to the conversation.
Along with this, a group of NFL players and media members released a video concerning the latest events surrounding the racially motivated deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Ahmaud Arbery.
This seemingly pressured the league into releasing an official statement concerning the Black Lives Matter movement.
While all of this is happening, the man who sparked the nonviolent protest against the exact problems that these videos address has yet to be signed by an NFL team. The idea of Kaepernick being blackballed from the league has been a conversation ever since he was released from the 49ers in 2017. Three years later, he is still looking for an NFL gig. One of the best ways to describe the situation came from DL Akiem Hicks:
Is it possible for the Panthers to sign Kaepernick? Considering that the team signed Eric Reid (who kneeled alongside Kaepernick) one year ago, this would make for a compelling story. However, the odds of this happening are extremely low.
The Panthers have more than enough depth at the quarterback position with Teddy Bridgewater, P.J. Walker, and Will Grier. Even though Kaepernick is arguably better than Walker and Grier, it wouldn't make sense for Carolina to be the team that takes a chance on him. After all, the Panthers have plenty of holes in other position groups that have yet to be fully addressed this offseason. While it would be interesting to see how Colin Kaepernick operates in Joe Brady's new offense, it just doesn't seem realistic for the Panthers to sign him at the moment.
Signing Kaepernick would be a sincere gesture for Carolina to make, but it simply wouldn't make sense from a football perspective. Teams such as the Pittsburgh Steelers with an aging Ben Roethlisberger or the Buffalo Bills with Josh Allen's questionable play would be prime candidates for Kaepernick to play for.
The Panthers proved that they were willing to accept the potential controversy that came with kneeling after they signed Eric Reid. They even allowed him to continue his peaceful protest during the national anthem last season, despite the backlash that came with it. If any team deserves flack for blackballing athletes, the Panthers should be the last organization that comes to mind. They prioritized Reid's on-field performance over his silent protest. Perhaps, another NFL team will be able to do the same with Kaepernick.
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