Should the Minnesota Vikings trade for Colin Kaepernick?

Faced with a sudden injury to Teddy Bridgewater, the Vikings could be well served to pursue the beleaguered 49ers signal caller.

Amid the firestorm of topics that is revolving around Colin Kaepernick currently, one thing that could easily get lost in the mix is actual football. And San Francisco 49ers coach Chip Kelly announced on Tuesday afternoon that Kaepernick will play in the Niners’ preseason finale against the San Diego Chargers on Thursday night.

The final week of the preseason is usually more of a ceremonial final chance to make the last few cuts necessary before final rosters are due, and players of Kaepernick’s stature usually do not suit up. However, due to his lack of snaps this preseason as he has rebounded from offseason shoulder surgery, Kelly will instead use it as a chance to get his much debated QB a chance to get some work in.

It could however also be a chance to give teams a prolonged look at where Kaepernick stands headed into the season, in case there is interest in acquiring him elsewhere. There have been rumors that the Niners could look to cut their former Pro Bowl quarterback as cost cutting measure –a fact that Kelly has denied. However, with the news of Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffering a non-contact knee injury today at practice, there could be solid reason for the Vikings to kick the tires on the former 49ers starter (Gabbert is the assumptive starter and currently more polished option of the two), or at the very least see what the cost of doing business to acquire Kaepernick would be.

But would Kaepernick be a fit in Minnesota? Absolutely. He is a mobile playmaker in the pocket, who while he lacks the touch that Bridgewater has displayed thus far, is capable of getting the ball downfield more often than Teddy. This could open up new dimensions of the young Vikings receiver corps that have previously been dormant. Charles Johnson, Stefon Diggs and rookie Laquon Treadwell could benefit from such opportunity, as would Adrian Peterson if the defense was forced to move out of the box slightly to compensate.

In the end, acquiring Kaepernick would come down to cost and if the Vikings truly were serious about going after the 28-year-old QB, the Vikings have plenty of 2017 draft picks for the Niners to haggle over. Currently, Minnesota possesses nine total picks in next year’s draft, including two in both the third and fourth rounds. Kaepernick easily could still command a third round pick and at this late juncture, and with the Vikings backs against the wall (and with only veteran Shaun Hill as a serviceable backup), the asking price for Kaerpernick would be high.

While it is too soon to be sure what type of absence Bridgewater could be looking at, there certainly is a match in both need, purpose and possibility intent between the Vikings and Niners needs.