THREAD: 1) Earlier on @gmfb I broke down the latest on the @Kaepernick7 workout scheduled for Saturday afternoon at the @AtlantaFalcons facility. Here are some important things to know...
2) Not only was @Kaepernick7 caught off guard by Tuesday's league-initiated push for the workout, but so were most (or perhaps all) team executives. Kaepernick was given 2 hours to accept or reject the league's offer, and the date and place were non-negotiable...
3) Ideally this workout would take place on a Tuesday (when most players are off, and coaches and GMs have more flexibility in their schedules), with a little more lead time to prepare...
4) Because it's Saturday, most teams will likely send pro scouts or other talent evaluators without decision-making power. That said, expect most teams to have at least one representative at the workout, if only because no organization wants to be singled out as non-compliant...
5) Another question: Who will conduct the workout? Pro Days are typically scripted affairs, allowing players to practice their drills--which are conducted by a coach with whom the player is comfortable. It's unclear what will happen on Saturday, but this may be improv theater...
6) Kaepernick wants an opportunity. He wakes up at 4:30 a.m. & works out five days a week, often in the dark, under the guidance of personal trainer Josh Hidalgo (who, perhaps, will play a part in Saturday's staging?). He said yes to the league's offer because he wants to play...
7) Yet this is not ideal, and it begs the question: If teams are interested enough to send employees to Atlanta to watch him on Saturday, why were so few of them motivated to bring him in for private workouts over the past 2 years, 8 months?...
8) Another issue: I'm told the league announced that Kaepernick would be available for an "interview" with team employees after the workout, yet it never informed his camp of this, nor did the league seek his permission. This was news to him...
9) With all of that said, this could be a positive development. Kaepernick wants to play and will show up and throw, and at least some teams--though blindsided by the league's announcement--seem genuinely curious...
10) Some teams are dubious about the circus element of the affair. Said one GM: "Would every team send the representative in a black T-shirt and trucker hat... without their logo, so it's not plastered all over the world?"...
11) To reiterate some things I've often reported over the past two-plus years: @Kaepernick7 sincerely wants to play. He has not rejected any offers. He has not demanded a certain salary or refused to be a backup. He is open to discussing all NFL opportunities.
