San Francisco 49ers General Manager Trent Baalke says the big new contract for quarterback Colin Kaepernick shows that the team takes care of its players.
“Colin’s hard work and dedication have played an integral role in the recent success of the 49ers organization,” Baalke said in a statement released by the team. “His work ethic, leadership and on-field production have positively influenced our team, and we look forward to his continued growth in all areas. Our organization always looks to reward our players for their contributions and commitment to the team. Colin’s agents, Scott Smith and Jason Bernstein, along with Paraag Marathe and Brian Hampton, should be commended for working diligently to reach an agreement.”
Of course, the reality is that NFL teams don’t reward players for their past play. NFL teams pay players for what they’re projected to do in the future.
And in the case of Kaepernick, a quarterback who has enormous upside and is only 26 years old, the 49ers project that he’s going to be one of the best players in the NFL for the next six years. Today’s deal means he’ll be paid like one of the best players in the NFL for the next six years.