Colin Kaepernick ended the 2015 season injured and backing up a Jacksonville Jaguars draft bust, but the 49ers quarterback now looks set for a fresh start in San Francisco. Rewind a couple of months, and a Kaepernick return in 2016 wouldve seemed incredibly unlikely. The 28-year old was recovering from shoulder surgery, his back-up Blaine Gabbert seemed more suited to now-former offensive coordinator Geep Chrysts offence, and when Kaepernick actually played, he was poor.Speculation that he would leave San Francisco intensified, with some sources claiming that the quarterback himself was keen to move on. All of this for a player who had led his team to the Super Bowl just two years previously, then viewed by many as a franchise quarterback. Add in the fact that keeping Kaepernick would result in a $16.8m salary cap hit for San Francisco, and all signs pointed to the exit door. Kaepernicks recent form has been a far cry from his performances when leading the 49ers to Super Bowl 47 Return to February 2016, and things are looking up for Kaepernick. Stop-gap coach Jim Tomsula has been replaced by former Philadelphia Eagles head coach and offensive guru Chip Kelly. Immediately after the announcement of Kellys appointment, many analysts began to speculate that maybe it wasnt all over between Kaepernick and the Niners.Indeed, it now looks almost certain their relationship will continue, with 49ers general manager Trent Baalke addressing the media on Wednesday. (Kaepernick) won some big games for the San Francisco 49ers and (we) expect him to come back Trent Baalke, San Francisco 49ers general manager Colins done some awful good things through his career, won some big games for the San Francisco 49ers and [we] expect him to come back, said Baalke.So, there it is - apparent confirmation that Kaepernick will return to San Francisco after all. What does this mean for the team going forward?The cap hitFirst things first, re-signing Kaepernick is going to cost a lot of money. As mentioned, the franchise will take a $16.8m salary cap hit if they do indeed bring him back. Even if you dont follow the NFL, you know that this is a considerable sum, especially considering his below-par performances last season. It also means theres less money to go elsewhere.This means that Kaepernick will be guaranteed his salary of $11.9m, although San Francisco will retain the right to release him before April 1 in 2017 and 2018. Blaine Gabbert replaced Kaepernick as San Franciscos starting quarterback mid-way through last season Its an interesting decision from the 49ers, given that Kaepernick - injury aside - had the worst season of his career in 2015. Blaine Gabbert, one of the biggest draft busts in recent years, finished the season with a better completion percentage than Kaepernick, passed for more yards than Kaepernick and suffered fewer sacks. Astonishingly, Gabbert also managed a higher rushing average, given Kaepernicks strengths on the ground. Gabbert also put together a 3-5 record, with Kaepernick going 2-6 as the they split starts across the season. Despite all of this, the 49ers clearly believe that he can rediscover his best form of 2012 and 2013.Kaepernick may still want outKaepernick has already said himself that he may still want to leave, even if the 49ers want to keep him. Reports late on Thursday night appeared to suggest that his representatives have asked the franchise to put Kaepernick on the trade block. Thats despite general manager Baalke saying he absolutely wanted to keep him on board.However, new head coach Chip Kelly appears keen to retain Kaepernick. With a decision not having to be made until April 1, this one could rumble on for some time yet.The Chip Kelly effect Chip Kelly will be tasked with re-invigorating Colin Kaepernicks career While the large cap hit would have certainly crossed the minds of those in the 49ers front office, the arrival of Chip Kelly was probably what swung the pendulum in the favour of Kaepernicks retention.Kelly was a wonderful college football coach, to put it simply. He excelled at Oregon, leading the team to the national championship game in his final year in charge with one of the most explosive offences seen in recent years. Much of that was due to his use of a dual-threat quarterback. At Oregon, Kelly had a gifted passer who could rush like a legitimate running back - a certain young first-year player in Marcus Mariota, now impressing in the NFL with Tennessee. Chip Kelly arrives in San Francisco after three years in Philadelphia Now in San Francisco, Kelly is presented with Kaepernick - a quarterback who epitomises the term dual-threat. On his day, you could argue there isnt anyone better in the entire NFL. This presents a tantalising prospect, as in three years at Philadelphia, Kelly never had the chance to work with a true dual-threat quarterback, other than a brief flirtation with veteran passer Michael Vick at the very beginning. In much of his tenure in Philly, Kelly still managed to make the offence tick with the likes of Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez under center.Whether its boom or bust for the Kelly and Kaepernick tandem, it certainly isnt going to be short of intrigue. In the first half of Super Bowl 50, several players and coaches were wired for sound. Hear their reactions to the on-field events Draft optionsEven with Kaepernick staying, the 49ers could decide to bring in a project for the future in the draft. With the franchise picking seventh, they will have at least one or two of this years top quarterback prospects to consider. Could former Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch be a target for the 49ers? Its likely that at least one of the consensus top three prospects - Jared Goff, Carson Wentz and Paxton Lynch - will have gone by the time Trent Baalke and Chip Kelly make their selection, especially with quarterback-desperate Cleveland picking second.Memphis alumnus Lynch could present an interesting option for San Francisco in the long run. Many scouts have compared his build and athleticism to the leagues top dual-threat passers, such as Cam Newton, Mariota and Kaepernick himself. Kaepernicks return could mean the 49ers select a defensive player, such as Notre Dames Jaylon Smith (right), with their first round draft pick However, if Kaepernick can return to form, quarterback wont be as much of a need as it may currently seem, if at all. Granted, that will come down to if the 49ers are confident they can get the best out of him once again. If so, Baalke may look to strengthen their defensive pass rush, or indeed, their offensive line.Its a team that showed last year they have a number of needs, so giving Kaepernick one last try perhaps makes sense to allow them to address these this year.Free agency Could Robert Griffin III be another option for the 49ers? We looked yesterday at what could be next for outgoing Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III. The 49ers could be yet another option, especially considering he is another player with the dual-threat abilities that Kelly could bring to the fore. What next for RG3? Where does the Redskins quarterback go next? However, with his knee taking a shattering in recent years and his performance levels a concern, its unclear as to what Griffin will be like when he returns to the field. If Kaepernick is deemed a risk, then Griffin would seem an even bigger one for the 49ers to take. Also See: NFL Ins & Outs Redskins to move on from Griffin III What next for RG3? Pundits Clarence Weatherspoon 76ers Jersey . Already owning gold from competition in Vancouver in 2010, Loch posted a combined four-run time of 3:27.526. That included a track-record third run of 51. Allen Iverson 76ers Jersey . With his new coach and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Boris Becker watching him during an official match for the first time, Djokovic appeared tentative early against the Slovakian player, who often appeared content to keep the ball in play. http://www.76ersprostore.info/Cheap-Maurice-Cheeks-76ers-Jersey/ .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. Darryl Dawkins 76ers Jersey . Speaking Thursday on TSN 1050 Thursday, the Leafs GM also touched on the questions surrounding the teams leadership and the struggles of his big-name free-agent signing. “Its not from lack of effort from the coaching staff. Zhaire Smith Jersey .C. at the helm of the top team in the Eastern Conference. His tenure as the GM in Vancouver was all too brief. Though he led the Canucks to what was then a franchise record-shattering campaign in just his second season, Nonis was gone and replaced one year later. CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera believes too much technology may wind up hurting the NFL game.Other coaches are more welcoming to even more hi-tech changes.For the second straight year, the NFL will experiment in the preseason with allowing coaches and players to use Microsoft Surface tablets on the sidelines to view video replays during the game -- instead of just still pictures -- and utilize that information to adjust strategy.The league discussed using the technology in the regular season, but the idea has been tabled until next offseason.Rivera, for one, hopes it stays on the table -- forever.Im against it, said Rivera, the 2013 and 2015 NFL Coach of the Year. As coaches, we work Monday through Saturday preparing for Sundays game. I work. I game plan. I put all of my thoughts together. Im attacking you, Im beating you. And then, all of a sudden, they give you a tablet where you get to watch the play, rewind the play and see what happens on the play where you can say, `Oh my gosh, thats what theyre doing to us? Now you can make an adjustment and change what youre doing and have success. I dont think thats right.Rivera, who expressed his concerns at a recent NFL competition committee meeting, said if the videos are allowed he might as well work 9 to 5 rather than putting in extra time game planning.Not every coach agrees with that line of thinking.Gary Kubiak, whose Denver Broncos defeated Riveras Panthers 24-10 in the Super Bowl, calls the videos a tremendous tool for coaches and players. He doesnt think coaches will gain an unfair advantage because they dont have much time during a game to radically change a game plan.Theyre always trying to do things to make the game better and make players better, Kubiak said. Its like anything else that we do, its something new, and I think we had a little taste of it. Keep going and see how it works out.Atlanta coach Dan Quinn is also a proponent of the tablets.We have the technology to do it and really the players enjoy it, too, Quinn said. (The video) gives them a very good look at what happened as opposed to the pictures. I hope we get to it one day.Redskins coach Jay Gruden doesnt view having videos as a big deal compared to pictures.If everybody has it, then its not an advantage, Gruden said. . ... Its not like you can put a whole new game plan together based on a video that you saw (in) 20 seconds. So it really has no bearing on how we coach or how we prepare a football game.Rivera might disagree.He points to last years Pro Bowl -- where the NFL experimented witth video on the tablets -- and quarterback Drew Brees used the information gathered from the videos of a previous play to make an adjustment.dddddddddddd He told receiver Antonio Brown the next time he called the play to stay in front of the defender rather than go behind him.Two series later, Brees ran the same play and connected with Brown for a touchdown.Without the video I wouldnt have been able to see that and communicate it with him, Brees said at the time.I thought to myself, thats exactly why right there, Rivera said. Hey if you cant get in practice, if your coaches cant see it on the sideline, why should you get a tool to help you? People say, `Well, you get better football? Well, do you really get better football?Rivera is admittedly old school, having played nine seasons with the Bears as a linebacker. Years later, as a former defensive coordinator in Chicago, hed arrive at the teams facility at 6 a.m., grab a coffee and head to his office. Hed spend the next 18 hours coaching, preparing and game planning until heading home at midnight.Then hed get up and do the same thing the next day.To me it doesnt make sense, Rivera said. Im supposed to know these things. If Im not a good coach I should get my (butt) fired. I want to get beat because somebody out-prepared for me, to somebody who had answers to my questions.Titans coach Mike Mularkey said he agrees with Rivera, saying he prefers pictures to videos. Dolphins coach Adam Gase said he likes the current chess match between coaches, and fears video might change that.When you have the still shots, you dont always know what is going on, Gase said. (I like) being able to go to the sideline and talk to your players, thats part of the game as far as who is giving you the right information, who is working hard enough that week to prepare yourself to where if somebody does something on the field, you either see it or somebody in the box sees it.To me, thats part of the challenge of being a coach. I love the fact that when you get players that are really smart and they understand it, and they can bring that information (they see on the field) to you. That gives you an advantage. When you start using the video tablets, it takes that out of it.---AP Sports Writers Charles Odum, Josh Dubow, Steven Wine, Hank Kurz , and freelance writers Michael Kelly and Terry McCormack contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '