As NFL free agency reaches a close, the market still houses a few notable names, names like Jamaal Charles, Jahri Evans, and Jay Cutler. However, the fact that Colin Kaepernick, the former $128 million dollar quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, remains unsigned is one of extreme questionability. How is it that a player of Kaepernick remains unsigned? Just how can journeymen quarterbacks like Geno Smith, Josh McCown, and Brian Hoyer earn NFL gigs over the talented dual threat player?

“I don’t want him anywhere near my team,” one front office executive said. “He’s a traitor.” Clearly the issue of Kaepernick sitting during the national anthem looms large in the minds of front office authorities. However executives stand on the “Sitting during the National Anthem” issue, it is clearly a controversy and distraction. A team’s players should not have to answer questions on the patriotism of a quarterback, rather than the performance of your team. It is this specific issue that are keeping teams a mile away from approaching the quarterback. However…

Is it possible Kaepernick’s game has also declined? He can no longer be trusted to be healthy for a 16 game season, and he is fresh off a season where he threw 10 interceptions to just 16 touchdowns.

“He just doesn’t have confidence anymore on the field. His mechanics have regressed to that of a middle schooler, and he puts no effort into keeping himself out of harm’s way. Hell, he couldn’t even put on weight, and his constant talk of social issues makes me wonder if the game is even important to him anymore,” said one unnamed 49ers coach.

With so many questions, it’s obvious that Kaepernick presents himself as a high risk player for all teams. His best option seems to be choosing a one year “prove it” deal with a bad team and his decision to protest may have cost him tens of millions of dollars. But with Kaepernick refusing to budge on his stance on racism, it’s fair to wonder: Is Kaepernick’s time in the NFL winding to a close?