Eric Reid: Colin Kaepernick 'ready to help win a championship'

Eric Reid and Colin Kaepernick are basically best friends. The former teammates with the San Francisco 49ers have formed a bond off the field, one that’s maintained over the last couple of years as many painted them as pariahs, though others believe them role models.

Reid is back in the NFL as a player, having signed a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers last October, a stint that earned him a three-year extension earlier this month.

But as much as he’s enjoyed Carolina, Reid is going to stand up for his brother.

Team reporter draws response

On Friday, Bill Voth, who writes for the Panthers’ team website, posted a mailbag. The first question was from a Carolina fan wondering if the team would sign Kaepernick.

Mark Geragos, the lawyer who represented Kaepernick and Reid in their collusion case against the NFL, said after the settlement between the players and the league was announced that Carolina would be a “natural” place for Kaepernick to end up, especially with starting quarterback Cam Newton recently undergoing a shoulder cleanup aimed at helping the pain that hampered him the final month of last season.

Voth wrote “it makes sense” that Geragos would connect the Panthers to Kaepernick, noting Kaepernick’s mobility and the culture owner David Tepper is fostering.

“With all that said,” Voth wrote, “we don’t know Kaepernick’s price tag, but he would cost something, and the Panthers have more pressing needs at starting positions. And how do we know he can play?

“Kaepernick hasn’t been on a field in two seasons, briefly saw his starting job go to Blaine Gabbert after dealing with shoulder soreness ahead of the 2016 season and is 32-32 all-time as a starter. But most importantly from a Panthers perspective, I’m not sure they’re all that interested in any veteran quarterback right now.”

‘No more false narratives’

Though Tepper signs both of their paychecks, Reid responded on Twitter, in particular to Voth rehashing the idea that Kaepernick lost his job to Gabbert.

“He didn’t lose his job to Blaine,” Reid posted. “He was coming off of three surgeries [knee, thumb, non-throwing shoulder] and needed more time to heal. Once healed, he started again. No more false narratives in 2019 please.

“He’s in the best shape of his life, and ready to win a championship.”

‘PS I have his number’

Reid then posted a photo of him and Kaepernick sitting on a turf field, presumably after a workout.

“PS I have his number if y’all need it!” he wrote.

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