MMQB: Colin Kaepernick Showed Arm Strength Is Still Intact; Latest on Raiders Outlook

The Las Vegas Raiders didn't choose to sign Colin Kaepernick after working him out last week, at least not in the immediate aftermath of that session. But that doesn't necessarily close the door on a future signing. 

Albert Breer of The MMQB wrote Monday that he believes "the door is being left open for a deal, but it probably won't happen right now. The workout itself went well. He didn't blow everyone away or anything like that. But he showed he was in shape and that his arm strength is still intact, even at 34 years old and after five seasons out of the league."

It was the first workout Kaepernick has had with an NFL team since 2016, when he last played in the league.

Breer added that "my sense is Kaepernick did well enough to keep himself in the discussion. And my guess is the Raiders give themselves the rest of the spring to look at the guys they've been working with behind Derek Carr, Nick Mullens and Jarrett Stidham and then reassess."

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported last week that the Raiders "considered Kaepernick's workout a 'positive'" but that "no signing was imminent."

Kaepernick, if he signed with Vegas, would be coming in as a backup for Carr. Any team that potentially signed the quarterback after his five years away from the league would be doing so with the intention of having him serve such a role, more than likely. 

Kaepernick became one of the most divisive figures in the country during the 2016 season, when he protested racial inequality and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem before San Francisco 49ers games. 

Detractors of his protest claimed it was disrespectful to the flag and military. 

Kaepernick hasn't been signed with a team since, with many of his supporters believing he's been blackballed from the NFL for his political beliefs. He and former teammate Eric Reid settled a collusion lawsuit against the league out of court in February 2019. 

The veteran quarterback has ramped up his efforts to return to the NFL this offseason, working out with several players and holding a throwing session for scouts during Michigan's spring practice.