14.5 million for 2017 was gauranteed
No it was not.
[FONT="]Why did these new negotiations happen?[/FONT]
[FONT="]-From the 49ers’ side, they wanted to protect themselves from Kaepernick incurring more injuries and potentially guaranteeing his $14.5M salary for 2017 (if he couldn’t pass the physical this April 1). Remember, they’ve never intended on paying him that or any further salary past 2016.[/FONT]
[FONT="]-From Kaepernick’s side, he wanted to make sure he could play this season (I don’t think the 49ers would’ve prevented him from playing without the contract adjustment, but it was a possibility) and also this new agreement gave him the right to terminate his deal in March.[/FONT]
[FONT="]I believe Kaepernick didn’t want to go through what he did in 2016–even if he got hurt playing, he would rather have the option to control this himself in 2017.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Important note: Kaepernick understands that the 49ers won’t pay him that $14.5M next season.[/FONT]
[FONT="]If he’s still on the team and healthy, they will cut him April 1 to avoid that contract… and all further years of his “long-term” deal.
That so-called $126M deal signed back back in 2014 was designed to be a year-by-year deal, so Kaepernick was always in jeopardy of getting cut every April 1… if he was healthy.[/FONT]