Amid BLM Protests, Odds of Kaepernick Signing NFL Contract Listed at +500, Vikings Given Best Odds to Sign QB
By Robert Duff in NFL Football
Updated: March 9, 2021 at 4:28 pm ESTPublished:
- The odds that Colin Kaepernick will open the 2020 regular season on the roster of an NFL team are a long +500. The Minnesota Vikings (+950) are the team favored to sign him
- Could the Vikings take a serious look at Kaepernick? Is there a realistic chance that he’ll get a training camp shot with an NFL team?
- Examination of the odds and analysis of potential outcomes are outlined in the story that follows
It’s been well over three years since Colin Kaepernick took a snap in an NFL game. Yet, even as nationwide protesting in the USA brings attention to the issue of police brutality against African-Americans, the odds are insisting that it’s unlikely Kaepernick will get another chance.
It was in 2016 when former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Kaepernick sought to bring attention to the plight of African-Americans at the hands of law enforcement by taking a knee during the Star-Spangled Banner.
He was vilified by a portion of America for his protests. That group who attacked him included US President Donald Trump.
The killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer has proven to be the tipping point to set off widespread protesting. It’s also proving that Kaepernick was a man ahead of his time.
Still, that doesn’t appear to be an indication that the time for Kaepernick to get a second chance in the NFL has arrived. Odds are currently +500 that Kaepernick will be on the roster of an NFL team for Week 1 of the 2020 season. Bettors will get -900 favorite’s odds against this becoming a reality.
Odds Colin Kaepernick on Active Roster for Game 1 of 2020 NFL Regular Season
| Outcome | Odds |
|---|---|
| Yes | +500 |
| No | -900 |
Odds taken June 2nd
Kaepernick’s most recent NFL appearance was on January 1, 2017.
Kaepernick Was on Point
Several prominent pro sports teams and organizations are posting memes on social media offering platitudes toward the same cause that Kaepernick was roasted about when he raised awareness of it not so long ago.
The NFL, which basically blackballed Kaepernick, is among them. So are the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. It was Columbus coach John Tortorella who said he’d bench any player who took a knee during the national anthem like Kaepernick did.
"I am an ally of peaceful protestors," says President Donald Trump in 2020, three years after calling Colin Kaepernick and other players who knelt peacefully in protest of racial injustice "sons of bitches."
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) June 1, 2020
Kaepernick was told he hated America. He lost his ability to make a living in the NFL. All for standing up for a cause by taking a knee.
Even if he’s being viewed in a different light today, that doesn’t mean anyone should expect to see Kaepernick under center again in an NFL game. He’s three years older at 32. That’s three prime years where he didn’t get to play.
Stepping back into the world’s best football league wouldn’t be easy for anyone after such a long layoff.
Pick: No (-900)
Is Any NFL Team Willing to Sign Kaepernick?
There are teams were Kaepernick would be a good fit. At the same time, there have been teams in the past three seasons who would’ve been better served by signing Kaepernick but none pulled the trigger.
Why should now be any different?
Odds for Colin Kaepernick’s Team for Game 1 of 2020 NFL Regular Season
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | +950 |
| Baltimore Ravens | +1800 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | +2000 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | +2500 |
| Chicago Bears | +2500 |
| Buffalo Bills | +3000 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | +3000 |
| Carolina Panthers | +3000 |
| Houston Texans | +3500 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | +3500 |
| Indianapolis Colts | +4000 |
| Los Angeles Rams | +4000 |
| Arizona Cardinals | +5500 |
| New England Patriots | +6000 |
| Not on an Active Roster for Week 1 | -900 |
The Minnesota Vikings could certainly use an experienced backup behind Kirk Cousins but considering the riots all started because of an incident in Minneapolis, such a signing would smack of a public relations move. Kaepernick is too principled a man to be part of any such stunt.
Last fall, when Kaepernick took part in an NFL-orchestrated open tryout, the Cincinnati Bengals (+350) and Pittsburgh Steelers (+400) were favored to sign him. At this juncture, the Steelers still make sense. Ben Roethlisberger is coming back from season-ending elbow surgery.
Four years later, Colin Kaepernick's message is still relevant. pic.twitter.com/LxxvgH6Cvu
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 1, 2020
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of that tryout is the odds of no team signing Kaepernick were the same then as they are now. Both betting lines listed that outcome at -900.
With COVID-19 impacting what teams can do to prepare for the season, adding a rusty QB seems unlikely.
Pick: Not on an Active Roster for Week 1 (-900)
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
