Colin Kaepernick returned to NFL headlines through a leaked letter asking the New York Jets to take him in, even if it meant joining the practice squad to end his seven-year absence from the league.
It’s looking like the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback is on a negotiation list — per the Canadian Football League.
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Which CFL Franchise Has Taken an Interest in Kaepernick?
The ex-49ers passer is on the radar of the British Columbia Lions, per TSN broadcaster Farhan Lalji on Thursday.
The @BCLions have put Colin Kaepernick on their negotiation list. @SportsCentre pic.twitter.com/QT0lw8efqr
— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN)
In this scenario, Kaepernick’s exclusive rights would belong to the CFL franchise if he were to cross over and join the league.
The 36-year-old has spent between 2017 to 2023 working out as many as six days a week from lifting to throwing the football, all in an attempt to resume his NFL career.
Kaepernick has been out of the NFL since ’17 following his stance toward the national anthem, as Kaepernick opted to take a knee instead of standing — in protest of police brutality and racial injustice in America.
He’s since held a workout at the University of Michigan’s spring game in 2022 and, in June 2022, was given a workout in front of the Las Vegas Raiders.
His last NFL game ever was January 1, 2017, against the Seattle Seahawks. His letter to the Jets was leaked out by Hip-Hop superstar J. Cole, which was directed toward Jets owner Joe Douglas.
Deeper Dive Into the Negotiation List and How It Works in the CFL
For those not familiar with how the negotiation list breaks down in the CFL, here’s what it entails.
MORE: QB Power Rankings 2023
Each of CFL’s nine teams can claim exclusive league rights to up to 45 players by placing them on their negotiation list. They have to unveil their choices during these two different points of the offseason — in September and December.
Players in the CFL then can either get moved, traded, or removed at any point ahead of the start of the league’s season.
Per the CFL, the Lions had 10 QBs on their negotiation list back in December 2022. Among the names included Jaren Hall (before being selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2023 NFL Draft) and had three current CFB QBs listed: John Rhys Plumlee (UCF), Cameron Ward (Washington State), and Clayton Tune (Houston).
