They don't come much more underpaid than Colin Kaepernick, thanks in part to the new wage scale. Coming off the most productive season for a 49ers quarterback in more than a decade, [Kaepernick] has some leverage this offseason to get a lucrative, long-term extension. ... The franchise tag for a quarterback this year is expected to be more than $16 million. That figure could rise significantly next year. But the 49ers also have every reason not to pay Kaepernick the kind of deal that will push him to the top of quarterback salaries. After all, Kaepernick is scheduled to make just $1.073 million in 2014, including a $100,000 workout bonus. With the past 12 months, four comparable starting quarterbacks have signed deals with the lowest average-money-per-year belonging to Matthew Stafford ($17.66 million). Source: CSN Bay Area
I think it would be very smart of the 49ers and Kaepernick to get something done for an obvious reason already stated in that article.
how is the qb tag # only $16 mill? i thought it was the average of the top 5 paid players at a position and i'm sure the top 5 qb's are making more than $16 mill a year?
That is one big freaking "bump." Is he worth the 16? Not really sure at this time. I would say probably in the 14 million range. Do like a 3 year deal. See if he can steadily improve and get some more receivers for him. If he does well then resign him to a long term contract. But it won't happen that way....
If they don't pay him now, they'd be taking the same chance the Ravens took with Flacco. And look how that gutted the Ravens...
Stafford is overpaid. I like the guy but he's not worth $17M. Between Stafford, Suh and Megatron, those three count for something like 40% of the Lions cap space or something ridiculous like that...
that would be a better deal then. To have 6 players take up that much cap against 3. We may have two do that before too long.