At least one entity is not sold on the offseason work of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Andy Benoit of Sports Illustrated's Monday Morning Quarterback ranked all 32 projected starting signal callers for the 2015 campaign, and the player the 49ers are counting on more heavily this upcoming season did not receive a favorable position.
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Kaepernick, who will enter 2015 as a fourth-year starter, is the 21st best starter, according to Benoit.
"Raw tools are startling, but so are a lot of his decisions," Benoit used to describe Kaepernick. "There are also mechanical flaws."
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Because Kaepernick suffered his worst year as a starter in 2014, he ranked behind such "luminaries" as Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (No. 17) and former 49ers starter and current Kansas City Chiefs starter Alex Smith (No. 18).
To be fair, both had a more favorable quarterback rating than Kaepernick's 86.4. Cutler's Bears, however, finished 5-11 while Kaepernick's 49ers finished 8-8.
Kaepernick spent much of the offseason working with two-time NFL MVP Kurt Warner and quarterbacks guru Dennis Gile of EXOS Training in Phoenix.
He has received rave reviews from those inside the 49ers organization, and he returned to EXOS Training following San Francisco finished with its offseason volunteer workouts.
Ninersnation.com, however, said it couldn't find excessive fault with Kaepernick's spot. It noted that Kaepernick did finish ahead of St. Louis Rams projected starter Nick Foles (No. 24), but behind Seattle Seahawks starter Russell Wilson (No. 12) and Arizona Cardinals starter Carson Palmer (No. 14) - quarterbacks of the 49ers NFC West division rivals.
"It's difficult to argue any of those points. Kaepernick could very well find more success than Palmer this season, especially given Palmer's age and injury history," Ninersnation.com surmised. "But going by last season, Palmer was definitely more productive. Wilson is somewhat underwhelming as a pure passer but in my opinion, he's leagues more impressive than Kaepernick when it comes to being mobile with the football.
"I think most of us here see what Kaepernick can be more than what he's shown thus far and that colors our opinions of him now. He's obviously had a few big games, but he was mediocre at best last season. I personally think he'll bounce back from that, especially with Torrey Smith to throw to, but for now I guess I can't argue with this ranking too much."
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