Niners' Colin Kaepernick, Blaine Gabbert to split reps.
San Francisco's quarterback competition has officially begun.
Niners coach Chip Kelly told reporters on Sunday that
Colin Kaepernick and
Blaine Gabbert will divide first-team reps evenly.
"We are going to split it right down the middle. I think we've got 24 reps today with the ones," Kelly said. "So (Colin Kaepernick) and Blaine (Gabbert) will split it right down the middle with the ones and twos."
There were rumblings this offseason that Gabbert was the leader in the clubhouse. During OTAs Gabbert took control of the offense and even showed signs of leadership while Kaepernick recovered from various ailments. A stark contrast for a QB who was ran out of Jacksonville after three atrocious seasons.
Kaepernick, who underwent offseason right thumb and his left knee in surgeries in January after previously having left shoulder surgery in November, has the skillset that would seem to be ideal in Kelly's offense. Yet the Nevada product has regressed since the
49ers lost to Baltimore in
Super Bowl XLVII and now finds himself in a rather grotesque QB battle.
Back in 2012, it would be laughable to consider the two quarterbacks being locked in a dead heat. Although times have changed four years later, and Kelly confirmed that there's no timetable to name a
49ers starting quarterback.
"Sometimes if you put a preconceived date on it it's not fair and I've been in them before. I just think they express themselves in how they express themselves," Kelly said when asked about naming a starting QB.
"Obviously you'd like to get it done sooner rather than later. But you don't want to get it done sooner and make the wrong decision. I think how we train and what we do on the practice fields and obviously the opportunity to play in preseason games will give us a real good indication; we hope as we head into the regular season."
It's going to be interesting to watch this quarterback competition unfold to say the least.
