The Eagles Could've Had Colin Kaepernick According to Report

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Interesting timing for Michael Vick to come out and set a new career high with 428 yards through the air against the Chargers. Little more than an hour before the contest, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Eagles had almost traded for one NFL starter one year earlier, and had designs on drafting another.

In case you missed it on Sunday, Schefter says the Birds actually had a deal in place at one point with the San Francisco 49ers for Colin Kapernick during the 2012 offseason, but changed their minds and decided to take Russell Wilson in April’s draft instead. Here’s the report:

In the weeks leading up to the 2012 draft, the Eagles came close to trading a second-round draft pick to the 49ers for Kaepernick, league sources tell ESPN. The 49ers were open to trading him because Alex Smith just had led them to the NFC Championship Game and they weren't sure what to do with their now-starting quarterback.

One league source maintains that the Eagles backed out of the proposed deal when they decided they would be able to draft Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson, whom they geared their whole draft around, league sources said. But then, just before Philadelphia could draft Wilson, the Seattle Seahawks selected him, leaving the Eagles to take Nick Foles, another quarterback they rated highly, though not nearly as high as Wilson.

This isn’t the first or even the second time we’ve heard the Eagles liked Russell Wilson in 2012 and wound up settling for Nick Foles instead. The notion they “geared their whole draft” around Wilson sounds a tad strong though. At the end of the day we’re talking about a third-round pick, a guy the Eagles themselves passed up three times, including as late as No. 59 overall – Wilson went No. 75, Foles at 88.

But where there’s smoke there’s fire. We’ve heard too much about how the Eagles liked Wilson for it not to be true to some extent.

As for Kaepernick, this is the first I can remember hearing anything about a potential deal (at least from Philly’s standpoint), and it’s interesting to say the least. Schefter is a tireless reporter, but it’s a little hard to believe the 49ers were willing to part with the QB even at the time. As well as Alex Smith was playing, they wound up going with Kapernick mere months later, and while I can understand listening to offers given the situation, San Francisco did invest the No. 36 pick in Kapernick only one year earlier.

We’re not really in any position to refute reports though, so what we “know” is the Eagles passed up a chance to trade for Kaepernick to draft a quarterback (Wilson) who didn’t fall into their laps in round three. Now both guys look like quality NFL starters, while even if Vick is in the middle of a career renaissance, he is 33 years old.

Not sure what to make of it all, but it’s ancient history now I suppose.

>> Eagles almost had Colin Kapernick [ESPN]

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