San Francisco 49ers finally close to starting Colin Kaepernick

After a fourth straight loss Thursday night, and an extended time before their next game, now is the moment for the San Francisco 49ers to make a quarterback switch.

The San Francisco 49ers started this season with a shutout win over the Los Angeles Rams, but they lost their fourth straight game Thursday night to the Arizona Cardinals. After a solid run last season, quarterback Blaine Gabbert has turned back into a pumpkin this year. During Thursday night’s game, fans at Levi’s Stadium openly chanted for him to be replaced by Colin Kaepernick.

49ers’ head coach Chip Kelly has continually remained committed to Gabbert, while also suggesting Kaepernick is not yet at full strength after multiple offseason surgeries, and Kaepernick has acknowledged being at less than his previous playing weight. But Gabbert’s erratic showing against Arizona (18-for-31 for 162 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions), while absorbing seven sacks as well, has started to change Kelly’s tune.

It’s worth noting that the 49ers now have extra time between games, with a road trip to take on the Buffalo Bills for Week 6 on Sunday, Oct. 16. Kelly acknowledged as much in his post game comments, and for whatever it’s worth Gabbert took accountability for his poor play after Thursday night’s loss.

"It’s extremely frustrating,” Gabbert said. “I let this team and this organization down tonight and did not play good whatsoever, and that’s on me. I had two crucial turnovers there that led to points for the Cardinals and that was the difference in the game right there. I got to do a better job protecting the football and leading this team to scoring more points and winning games.”"

"“Yeah, I’ve got to play better,” Gabbert said. “There’s no question to that. I’ve got to do a better job leading this football team, executing this offense, scoring points, winning games, the whole nine yards. That’s just the way it goes. I’ve got to play better.”"

Kaepernick seems far removed from being an effective quarterback, but in 2014 he completed just over 60 percent of his passes with 639 rushing yards. Then his level of play fell off a cliff last year, not coincidentally with Jim Harbaugh gone as head coach and a drop-off in the talent around him, and that led to a benching in favor of Gabbert.

Kaepernick has seemed like a good fit for the fast-paced offense Kelly deploys, even if a limited overall skill set and opposing players highlighting a possible lack of “football IQ” might have limited him last season. From a pure talent stand point, Kaepernick has to be an upgrade over Gabbert.

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With Kaepernick’s apparent toxic relationship with the 49ers’ organization, and a contract that would allow the team to move on next March, a plan to sit him all season looks viable. But Kelly can no longer stand behind Gabbert confidently, and a reversal back to his draft-bust form is forcing a quarterback switch in San Francisco.