Las Vegas Raiders coach Josh McDaniels didn’t inform quarterback Derek Carr that the team was going to work out Colin Kaepernick.
That was because he felt there was no reason to do so.
“I think he knows this is his football team and he’s working like it on the field and he’s leading the way that we want him to lead and he’s doing all the right things,” McDaniels said of Carr on Thursday. “I couldn’t ask more from Derek Carr and (am) very pleased with what he’s doing so far.”
Kaepernick, 34, worked out for the Raiders on Wednesday but McDaniels had to little to say about how the outing went.
“Just a standard procedure, we will only talk about the people who are on our team,” McDaniels told reporters. “(General manager Dave Ziegler) and his staff have worked out tons of guys this spring and we really don’t make comments about the evaluations that we made or what they looked like, what they didn’t look like, strengths and weaknesses, those kinds of things are kind of private obviously for us as we look at things to try to make decisions to make the team better.
“If players are added to the team then obviously we’ll talk about them at that point. I respect the question 100 percent. I understand. But (that is) kind of what we’ll stick to.”
Kaepernick last played in the NFL in 2016, the year in which he took a knee during the national anthem as a protest against racism and police brutality.
Kaepernick has continually expressed a desire to play again, and even met with the Seattle Seahawks in 2017.
Last month, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh allowed Kaepernick to work out during halftime of the Wolverines’ spring game. Harbaugh coached Kaepernick with the 49ers.
At the time, Kaepernick again expressed the desire to work out for an NFL team.
“I can help make you a better team, I can help you win games,” Kaepernick told WXYZ Detroit. “I know right now the situation likely won’t allow me to come in, step into a starting role. I know I’ll be able to work my way to that though and show that very quickly.
“So to the teams that have questions, more than anything I would say I’d love to come in for a work out. I’d love to sit down with you and have that conversation about how I could help you be a better team.”
Kaepernick has thrown for 12,271 career yards and 72 touchdowns against 30 interceptions, completing 59.8 percent of his passes. He’s also rushed for 2,300 yards and 13 scores. He led the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII following the 2012 season.
Meanwhile, Carr signed a three-year, $121.5 million extension last month and is under contract through 2025.
“I think Derek’s pretty comfortable with where he’s at,” McDaniels said of Carr. “I think he knows who he is for us and I know he knows how I feel about him, how we feel about him. I don’t think that’s really a big thing to Derek at this point.”
–Field Level Media
