Some have speculated that if the 49ers can’t find a trading partner, they’d release the quarterback. After all, if he’s on their roster on April 1, the team has to pay his $11.9 million guaranteed base salary, as well as over $1 million more in bonuses. Kelly says that won’t happen.
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“You don’t cut talent,” Kelly said Wednesday morning at the NFC coaches breakfast.
As for trade talks, Kelly says he’s spoken to Kaepernick, but not about a potential trade. According to Kelly, “you really can’t talk about anything from a football standpoint,” so it’s unclear what exactly they discussed. But Kelly made it clear he has not been involved at the negotiating table.
“His agents are handling everything for him, personnel is handling everything for us,” Kelly said.
