ATLANTA — Colin Kaepernick will finally get a chance Saturday to show his stuff again to NFL teams — after nearly a three-year wait.
On a practice field near Atlanta, the 32-year-old free agent quarterback will have about two hours to demonstrate his skills.
At least 11 teams will send personnel to watch the league-arranged workout at the Atlanta Falcons’ practice facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, the NFL said Thursday. Other teams can review the workout on video the NFL will provide.
As of Thursday, the teams that said they were sending personnel were Arizona, Atlanta, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Miami, New England, New York Giants, New York Jets, Tampa Bay and Washington, the NFL said.
The closed session will begin at 3 p.m. ET, a source with direct knowledge told CNN. The timeline:
• Interview, 3:15 p.m.
• Measurements, stretching and warmups
• Timing and testing, 3:50 p.m. That include sprints and a strength test
• Quarterback drills, 4:15 p.m.
The NFL said former coach Hue Jackson will lead the workout.
Of the teams committed to the workout and interview session, most, and probably all, will send directors of player personnel and scouts who rate NFL players. Those are the people who would typically evaluate a back-up player — in this case a second- or third-string quarterback.
Kaepernick, who claimed the NFL and its teams colluded to keep him from playing following his refusal to stand during the National Anthem, tweeted Tuesday he’s ready.
“I’ve been in shape and ready for this for 3 years, can’t wait to see the head coaches and GMs on Saturday.”
However, it is doubtful that general managers and head coaches will be present at the suburban Atlanta workout because many will be preparing or traveling for Sunday’s or Monday’s games.
NFL told teams about work out Tuesday
The NFL sent a memo Tuesday about the workout for the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback to its 32 teams, ESPN first reported.
The event will be closed to media.
According to another source, several NFL teams inquired about the athlete-turned-activist’s “football readiness” and desire to return to the league.
Kaepernick hasn’t played in the league since the 2016 season — the same season he first sat during the playing of the anthem. The protest evolved into kneeling after onetime Seattle Seahawk and Green Beret Nate Boyer convinced Kaepernick it would be more respectful to the nation’s military, the quarterback has said.
Kaepernick said he did so to protest police shootings of African American men and other social injustices faced by black people in the United States.
Kaepernick became a free agent in 2017. No team offered him a contract, and that October, he filed a grievance against the league, accusing team owners of colluding to keep him from being signed. The NFL denied any collusion. Kaepernick and former teammate Eric Reid, who knelt with Kaepernick, settled their cases.
Earlier this year, Kaepernick posted videos of himself on Twitter, taking part in weight training and throwing footballs.
Kaepernick, who led the 49ers to the 2013 Super Bowl, played his last game on January 1, 2017, in the 49ers’ loss to the Seattle Seahawks. During that season, in which the 49ers were 2-14, Kaepernick threw 16 touchdowns and had four interceptions. He rushed for 468 yards on 69 attempts.
He opted out of his contract after the season and has been a free agent since.
