In early June, there was a push in Massachusetts for the New England Patriots to sign former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
That won't be happening.
ESPN's Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen reported Sunday, citing sources, that the Patriots and former NFL MVP Cam Newton have reached an agreement on a one-year contract that is heavily laden with incentives.
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With Newton joining the quarterback room in New England, that means there is one less team that Kaepernick fits with.
On June 9, Massachusetts congressman Joe Kennedy III tweeted that the NFL owes Kaepernick an apology and that the Patriots should sign him. A day earlier, NBC Sports Boston's Gary Tanguay and Phil Perry made the case that New England should give Kaepernick a shot.
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Kennedy III, Tanguay and Perry won't get their wish.
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Kaepernick has remained a free agent ever since he opted out of his contract on March 3, 2017 after the 49ers said they were going to release him.
But the call for an NFL team to sign Kaepernick has grown louder in recent months. Following the death of George Floyd, a Black man, while in police custody in Minneapolis, Kaepernick's original message of why he knelt during the national anthem is being heard by more people. Kaepernick was trying to bring attention to police brutality and racial injustices happening throughout the country.
On Friday, NFL Media's Mike Garafolo reported, citing sources, that NFL teams interested in Kaepernick had started to reach out to friends and associates of his. There's no word on how many teams are interested in signing the former second-round draft pick, but it has to be encouraging to Kaepernick that Garafolo indicated there are multiple teams.
Los Angeles Chargers coach Anthony Lynn suggested on June 17 that Kaepernick is on a workout list for his team, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told ESPN earlier this month that he's encouraging teams to sign Kaepernick.
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But now a potential suitor is off the board. Kaepernick, 32, would have been a good fit for the Patriots, and could have given Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer stiff competition.
Kaepernick will have to look elsewhere, and hope that a team like the Chargers come calling soon. He deserves to have an NFL job, but the possible landing spots are drying up.
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