Colin Kaepernick rumors: Raiders’ Derek Carr says he would ‘get along great’ with former NFL quarterback

There is at least some steam in the locomotive that might possibly see Colin Kaepernick finally get another shot in the NFL. On May 25, the former quarterback participated in a workout for the Las Vegas Raiders and newly-installed head coach Josh McDaniels, as well as new general manager Dave Ziegler, and it appeared to have went well — based on multiple reports. As the calendar nears mid-June, there is still no deal inked, but franchise quarterback Derek Carr (who signed a three-year, $121.5 million contract extension in April) wouldn’t mind seeing one materialize this summer.

“I don’t want to speak for everybody in that kind of sense, I don’t want someone mad at me for saying, ‘I think it would be great,’ — but I know him and I would get along great,” Carr said following the conclusion of the Raiders first minicamp practice, per ESPN. “I know we have in the past, and I think we would again. I think for the most part, I think he’d get along great with our guys.”

The familiarity between the two stems back to college, when the two suited up for the Western Athletic Conference before making their way to the professional ranks in 2011.

“I remember our days back then,” Carr added. “And just watching him and what he did in college and getting to know him and talking to him on the phone — I’ve told you guys, I’ve loved my time with him. I think he’s a great guy. He’s been great to be around. 

“I’ve enjoyed being around him, talking with him, competing against him.”

Kaepernick dominated headlines in 2016 when he decided to take a knee during the national anthem in peaceful protest of social injustice and police brutality in America — a decision that had nothing to do with the anthem or the flag itself. Since his split from the San Francisco 49ers that following March, he’s been unable to find work in the league, despite his vocal willingness to play backup and the myriad of opportunities to do so having continually come and gone. 

Teams opted instead to add less proven players as backups, and often despite pleas from players on their respective teams, and Kaepernick ultimately filed a collusion suit against the NFL that resulted in both sides settling out of court.

In 2019, he participated in a workout appointed by the league’s front office in coordination with several clubs, but the wheels fell off due to waiver disagreements that ultimately led to the workout being moved to a local high school field — with many of the intended teams opting to forego attending and pointing at the last-minute changes as the reason. In an impassioned speech following the workout, Kaepernick challenged the NFL to embrace the fight for social injustice and to give him a chance at returning to football.

Roughly three years later, he’s still trying to land another opportunity on an NFL roster, and the Raiders are poised to make it happen, should they decide to be the outlier in the Kaepernick’s ongoing fight to return to football. Their current roster of backups include Jarrett Stidham, Nick Mullens and undrafted rookie free agent Chase Garbers.

If they do decide Kaepernick is worth the look, count Carr in as one who’d approve.

“… I’ve enjoyed my time around him, I love him,” Carr said. “Him and I would get along great.”