In denying reports of trade discussions for Colin Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49ers basically handed the keys of the franchise to their enigmatic quarterback.
Whether that's in the 49ers' favor remains to be seen.
Torrey Smith investigated Colin Kaepernick trade rumors before signing with 49ers
According to the San Jose Mercury News, events that took place in the last week had a negative impact on Kaepernick's 2015. The 49ers lost offensive lineman Mike Iupati and running back Frank Gore, but what the offseason has produced so far for the franchise is that Kaepernick has become, perhaps, the key figure on the roster.
"He is clearly now the most important man on the roster," the Mercury News' Mark Purdy wrote. "The 49ers are Kaepernick's team. And that is hardly an obvious revelation.
"The NFL is a quarterback's league. But the 49ers were largely able to defy that truism over the last few years. During their runs to the NFC title game in 2011-13 under former coach Jim Harbaugh, defense was the primary operating system to produce victories. On offense, the machinery was based more on the running of Frank Gore and the muscular catches of tight end Vernon Davis."
"Oh, intermittently, Alex Smith or Kaepernick did jump up to make a key play. But the 49ers did not need them to be uniformly excellent or near-elite to win games. In 2015, they will need Kaepernick to do that."
49ers' signing of Darnell Dockett doesn't help Colin Kaepernick?
Earlier in the week, 49ers general manager Trent Baalke extolled the virtues of his quarterback.
"There are a lot of things I like about Kap," the GM said to 49ers.com. "And there's a lot of things this organization likes about Kap.
"The guy is talented football player. He can impact a game with his arm, with his feet and he's done it a consistent level. We've won a lot of playoff games with him. We've won a lot of football games with him. And we look forward to winning a lot more with him. He is our quarterback."
But is he a "franchise" quarterback?
The 49ers landed deep-threat wide receiver Torrey Smith, but the Mercury News suggested his arrival could signal the end of Michael Crabtree's tenure in San Francisco.
"...And it was weird how Crabtree and Kaepernick seemed to have chemistry one week, not the next," the Mercury News reported. "Crabtree might be missed on some third downs, but he's too expensive to keep around just for that. We'll count him gone."
Fullback Bruce Miller's arrest on spousal abuse of his fiancée also hurts the Niners' offensive cause.
Do your think the 49ers will flourish with Colin Kaepernick as the central piece of their puzzle? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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