The 49ers quarterback competition between Blaine Gabbert and Colin Kaepernick might not end up being much of a competition at all. Drew Sample Jersey According to , Gabbert is the "heavy favorite" to be the Week 1 starter in San Francisco. Gabbert is "loved" in the 49ers locker room, which is basically the opposite of how teammates seem to feel about Kaepernick. Kaepernick was the 49ers locker room last season and didn't really have any friends there. Of course, being popular or unpopular in a locker room isn't going win or lose you a job, you actually have to perform on the field, which Kaepernick hasn't been of the various injuries he's been recovering from this offseason. New 49ers coach Chip Kelly has only been able to see Gabbert play, which has been good news for Gabbert, because Kelly seems to be impre sed with him. It's not like Kaepernick's more talented, either, at least according to Kelly. The 49ers coach recently said that both players are similar. "When you're looking John Miller Jersey at both those guys, I think they're similar. They have a similar skill set," Kelly . "They're both 6-foot-4-plus. They both can really run, which will help keep plays alive. Obviously we're not a quarterback-run offense, but if the quarterback can run, you can use a little of that to your advantage. And they both have extremely strong arms. So, from a skill set standpoint, the two of them are kind of cut out of the same mold." If you're Kelly, and you have two players cut from the "same mold," it probably makes more sense to go with the guy who: 1) is actually practicing and 2) doesn't want to leave town. That's a point for Gabbert in both cases. Not only is Jordan Evans Jersey Kaepernick is dealing with a myriad of injuries (shoulder, left knee, right thumb), but he probably didn't leave a good taste in Kelly's mouth when he demanded a trade just one month after Kelly had been hired. There's also one other thing: Kelly seems genuinely excited about having Gabbert, which might be an NFL first. The 49ers coach has been praising Gabbert for several months now. For instance, here's what Kelly had to say about Gabbert at the NFL owners meetings back in March. "I'm impre sed with Blaine," Kelly said, . "He's big. I'd never really dealt with Blaine because he came into the league before I came into the league, but just how big and physical and impre sive he is. He's a 6-4, Darqueze Dennard Jersey 245-pound guy that can really run. I thought the last part of the season he played really well." Both Gabbert and Kaepernick started a total of eight games in 2016: The 49ers went 3-5 during Michael Jordan Jersey Gabbert's starts, while going just 2-6 with Kaepernick. The 49ers could pick up some salary cap room if Kelly decides to start Gabbert. If the 49ers trade Kaepernick, that means they'd be off the hook for his $11.9 million guaranteed salary and they'd only have to pay their starting quarterback a base salary of $1.75 million, which is what Gabbert is scheduled to make in 2016. If Gabbert is the "heavy favorite," don't expect Kelly to tip his hand. As recently as mid-May, the 49ers coach said he 49ers starting quarterback would be in 2016.
