New York Giants: Colin Kaepernick was never a fit

Quarterback Colin Kaepernick absolutely deserves a job in the NFL, but the New York Giants were never a right fit for him.

We’ve hit the start of July, and quarterback Colin Kaepernick remains a free agent and also arguably the most polarizing NFL player living today even though he has no home in the league. Whatever you may think or feel about Kaepernick taking a knee during renditions of the Star-Spangled Banner aside, there’s little question he has the physical tools and experience to be on a roster today. That he isn’t has generated more than a little speculation general managers and maybe even owners have unofficially blackballed the 29-year old.

It seems the New York Giants are happy to not have Kaepernick on the books this summer. After all, it was roughly one month ago when team owner John Mara told MMQB’s Jenny Vrentas he received letters from fans who claimed they would “never” attend another Giants game if a player knelt as did Kaepernick.

We’ll take Mr. Mara at his word, even though it’s a bit strange Big Blue supporters felt so compelled to write to the team owner about a subject that never directly impacted the club. After all, there were never rumblings Kaepernick would sign with the Giants or that any current player would act as he did.

Nevertheless, the subject of Kaepernick potentially serving as a backup for Eli Manning arises if only because it’s a painfully quiet part of the NFL season and fans, radio hosts and journalists have run out of ways to criticize wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. until he changes his hairstyle, comes up with a new celebration dance or is romantically linked with some celebrity they don’t like for whatever reasons.

Mara, head coach Ben McAdoo and anybody else within the organization who would want to remain distanced from Kaepernick are lucky in that the former starter for the San Francisco 49ers was never a fit for the Giants for several reasons. Granted, New York acquired multiple quarterbacks during the offseason, and Kaepernick would be an upgrade over either. But that doesn’t mean the situation or, more importantly, the money, worked out.

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New York Jets flop Geno Smith is currently on pace to be second on the depth chart behind Manning. Both Smith and Kaepernick are flawed quarterbacks, but Smith never even flirted with playing in a Super Bowl during his tenure with Gang Green. Every general manager in the NFL would have to admit, if pressed to be honest, Kaepernick is the better player of the two.

The Giants face a predicament that has nothing to do with potential fan backlash or protests as it pertains to Kaepernick or any other available veteran. In short, New York has little available salary cap space as of July 1. While the number varies per resource and practically per day for those who check such figures, it appears the Giants have roughly $7 million of space left before the start of training camp sessions.

According to Spotrac, Smith is currently on a deal that carries a cap hit of $1,087,500, a paltry sum for any quarterback who isn’t a rookie. Kaepernick would be a steal at such a price, so much so that the Giants and literally every other team in the league would do well to rush to their phones to get him to put pen to paper on the contract.

As Jason Fitzgerald of the Sporting News/Over the Cap explained, things aren’t that simple. Given Kaepernick’s age, tenure in the NFL and successes he achieved while with the 49ers, the absolute minimum the quarterback would receive from even a one-year deal would likely be around $2 million, and that’s not including incentives and other bonuses he would rightfully deserve in a fair world.

Simply put, the Giants are not in a place to spend even an extra $1 million on a player who hopefully won’t see the field during his time with the club. While Manning, who turned 36 years old earlier this year, isn’t getting any younger, he hasn’t missed a start since being handed the job back in 2004. The reigning NFL ironman is also signed through at least the 2018 season, meaning McAdoo and his coaches have plenty of time to groom a potential future starter of their choice such as rookie Davis Webb.

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Even a year ago, the Giants taking a flier on Kaepernick, had he become available, wouldn’t have been a crazy notion. That was before New York won 11 games last season and the team’s defense proved itself a championship-caliber unit. This is a win-now team, one that must spend any and all available funds to bolster its offensive line and secondary. That, beyond anything else, is why Kaepernick isn’t a fit for the 2017 Giants.

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