Cover Photo: Getty Images 


Colin Kaepernick resolved his collusion case against the NFL, settling for an undisclosed amount of money, which could set the stage for his NFL return. It seems like he's already drumming up some interest, so let's take a look at a realistic contract totals for Kaep. 

Kaepernick reportedly wanted to get paid $20 million to play in the AAF. He shouldn't expect to make that much in the NFL. 

Highest Paid Backup QBs

Kaepernick is a former Pro Bowl player, so it's fair to assume he'd be paid among the top backup quarterbacks in the NFL, assuming he's not brought in to be the starter. Josh McCown signed a one-year, $10 million contracts last season with the Jets and Teddy Bridgewater was paid $6 million by the Saints. Mike Glennon made $5 million last season and Chad Henne made $4.15 million. Chase Daniel, the ultimate backup QB, made $4 million. 


If Colin Kaepernick makes a return to the NFL, expect his contract to fall somewhere in that $4-$10 million range. He made $14.3 million his last season in the NFL, so it would be a bit of a pay cut. 

​​Ultimately, Kaepernick returning to football would make for an incredible story, regardless of what Jason Whitlock thinks. And if Kaepernick does manage to complete the comeback, NFL fans should expect to see him paid like a top-tier backup. 

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Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.