Great news for Blaine Gabbert: Colin Kaepernick hasn't thrown a pass in six days
Gabbert looks like he has the lead in the quarterback competition at this point
It's looking less and less like there will be an actual quarterback competition in the Bay Area this offseason. Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert were expect to battle it out for the job of Chip Kelly's Starting Quarterback, but it's now been six days since Kaepernick threw a pass in 49ers practice.
Colin Kaepernick has not thrown a football at 49ers practice. That's 6 days in a row without a pass attempt
— Kevin Jones (@Mr_KevinJones) August 16, 2016
Gabbert started the first preseason game for San Francisco as Kaepernick didn't suit up. With the 49ers playing again on Saturday against the Denver Broncos, Kap will have to get some throws in very soon if he's going to be in uniform for preseason game No. 2. If he can't make it back by then, the job will likely be even more Gabbert's to lose than it appears to be right now.
That's not to say Gabbert has done anything to distinguish himself, not in his career as a whole, his work last season for the 49ers, or in the first preseason game. He's certainly a lower-ceiling option than Kaepernick, who at one time flashed top-10 quarterback potential. You can't even really say he has a higher floor, given how dreadful he was for a portion of his time with the Jaguars. And he's not necessarily a safe, "solid veteran" type either. Still, if he's the only one on the field, he's the more likely option to start.
Elsewhere in San Francisco quarterbacking, the 49ers signed former Vikings starter Christian Ponder to a one-year deal after losing backup Thad Lewis to a torn ACL suffered during that first preseason game. He joins sixth-rounder Jeff Driskel behind Gabbert and Kaepernick on the depth chart.
















