Colin Kaepernick 'has a scheduled tryout with the Las Vegas Raiders this week'

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BREAKING: Colin Kaepernick ‘has a scheduled tryout with the Las Vegas Raiders this week’ after going unsigned since kneeling during the national anthem in protest of racism throughout the 2016 season

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the 34-year-old has a scheduled tryout with the Las Vegas Raiders this week, according to multiple sources
Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since the 2016 season, when he ignited a free speech debate by kneeling during the national anthem before games
The demonstrations against racism became popular around the league despite objections from many fans, who considered the protest to be disrespectful
The NFL arranged a tryout for Kaepernick in 2019, but a disagreement over his waiver form resulted in a late change of location and fewer teams in attendance
Kaepernick previously guided the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII in February of 2013
After initially opposing the demonstrations, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell encouraged teams to sign Kaepernick following the George Floyd killing in 2020

By Alex Raskin Sports News Editor For Dailymail.com

Published: 16:20 EDT, 25 May 2022 | Updated: 16:42 EDT, 25 May 2022

After five seasons away from football, Colin Kaepernick may be back on his way to the NFL.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the 34-year-old has a scheduled tryout with the Las Vegas Raiders this week, according to multiple sources.

Team spokespeople did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request for confirmation.

Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since the 2016 season, when he ignited a nationwide free speech debate by kneeling during the national anthem before games to protest discrimination and racist police brutality.

The Raiders currently have a starting quarterback in 31-year-old Derek Carr, who is committed through the 2025 season after signing a three-year, $121 million extension. However, the Raiders could use the veteran Kaepernick as a reliable backup given his experience guiding them 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII in February of 2013.

Colin Kaepernick attends the Netflix Limited Series Colin In Black And White Special Screening at The Whitby Hotel on October 26 in New York

COLIN KAEPERNICK CAREER TIMELINE

2011 – San Francisco 49ers take him with the 36th-overall pick of the NFL Draft
2011 – Makes debut for 49ers, playing three games
2012 – Becomes starting quarterback midway through season. Later sets an NFL postseason record for a quarterback by rushing for 163 yards in a playoff game against the Green Bay Packers. Also leads 49ers to the Super Bowl, where they lose to Baltimore Ravens
2013 – Guides the 49ers to another strong season as they reach NFC Championship game, before losing to Seattle Seahawks
2014 – Plays 16 games
2015 – Plays nine games, amid a string of injuries
2016 – Begins kneeling during pre-game playing of US national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice, the first and most prominent of dozens of NFL players to do so during season
2016 – Plays 12 games for 49ers, but is told by the incoming coaching staff that he will no longer be needed
2017 – Opts out of final year of contract in anticipation of his release and becomes free agent. He is not picked up by any other team
2017 – Files a grievance against the NFL, accusing all 32 team owners of colluding to blackball him from the league in retaliation for the controversial protests
2018 – NFL enacts a new rule banning players from protesting it before ultimately retracting it, because of its divisiveness
2018 – Stars in controversial Nike commercial released at the start of NFL season
2019 – NFL schedules tryout for Kaepernick in Atlanta, but the sides disagreed on several aspects of the workout, leading to a late change of location and lower attendance by scouts

Kaepernick opted out of his contact in anticipation of his release in March of 2017, but has not been signed. In 2019, he settled a grievance with the NFL for an undisclosed amount after accusing owners of blackballing him in retaliation for the controversial protests.

He has been training in hopes of an NFL return, while continuing to raise money for his charity, the Know Your Rights Camp, as well as other entrepreneurial and charitable endeavors.

Although Kaepernick remains an NFL pariah, commissioner Roger Goodell admitted in June of 2021 that the league should have listened to players’ concerns about racism sooner, adding that he encourages teams to sign the former 49ers star.

The league did orchestrate a tryout for Kaepernick in 2019, but that was scuttled after he took issue with the liability waiver the NFL asked him to sign.

Sports Illustrated obtained a copy of the NFL’s waiver, and according to a piece on SI.com by attorney Michael McCann, the league was effectively asking Kaepernick to sign away his right to sue teams in the future, regardless of whether or not they participated in collusion.

He ultimately arranged for his own workout for a handful of teams instead.

Although Kaepernick was reportedly in great shape and showed good arm strength, he did not receive any offers from NFL teams, despite his experience guiding the 49ers to three NFC title games and a Super Bowl appearance.

Despite that, he sill remained hopeful for an NFL comeback.

‘My desire to play football is still there,’ Kaepernick told USA Today in 2020. ‘I still train five days a week. I’m ready to go, I’m ready for a phone call, tryout, workout at any point in time. I’m still waiting on the owners and their partners to stop running from this situation. So I hope I get a call this offseason. I’ll be looking forward to it.’

The Los Angeles Chargers were keeping tabs on Kaepernick in 2020, according to then-coach Anthony Lynn, who described the embattled quarterback as a good ‘fit’ for his offense.

‘It would be crazy to not have him on your workout list,’ Lynn said at the time.

Lynn said that while he hadn’t spoken with Kaepernick, he ‘fits the style of quarterback for 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.’

‘It would be something I think any team would have to explore with a talent of that caliber that is available under these circumstances,’ Lynn continued.

‘I know he has a high IQ at the position. It comes down to physical shape and his ability to do what he does. You can figure out real quick where he is in his career after an intense workout.’