Sources say Colin Kaepernick will train with the Las Vegas Raiders on Wednesday

Colin Kaepernickwho last played professional football in 2016 – the year he began kneeling during the national anthem in protest of racial injustice – is set to train on Wednesday with the Las Vegas Raiders, league sources told ESPN.

It would be Kaepernick’s first exercise with an NFL team since his banishment, and it would be the first time the former star quarterback had visited a team since he traveled to Seattle to meet the Seattle Seahawks in May 2017 before they missed the opportunity to sign him.

Kaepernick played for the University of Nevada, Reno, which was the only school that offered him a scholarship, and now the Nevada professional team is the only one in the NFL Open to give the civil rights activist another chance.

Raiders owner Mark Davis follows the spirit of his late father Al Davis, who was a civil rights activist. Al Davis became the first modern-era NFL owner to hire a black head coach at Art Shell, is CEO of Amy Trask, and also became the second NFL owner to hire a Latin head coach at Tom Flores.

The NFL said it encouraged teams to take a look at Kaepernick. But not only has Kaepernick not signed a contract with any team, he has also not received a single workout until training now scheduled for Wednesday.

Mark Davis told ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez In June 2020 That he would give his “blessing” if the front office of the Raiders or Coaches wanted to add Kaepernick.

Derek Carr Currently he is the primary midfielder for the Raiders, who have also traded for backup Garrett Stidham earlier this month in a deal with the New England Patriots. Las Vegas also has a quarterback Nick Mullinswho signed with the Raiders this off season.

Kaepernick, 34, recently threw into the unoccupied receivers of the NFL scouts at the end of the first half of the Michigan spring game, at the invitation of Jim Harbaugh, his former coach with the San Francisco 49ers.

Another potential link for Kaepernick is Raiders offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi, who was the 49ers’ assistant from 2013-2016.

In an interview with the “I’m An Athlete” podcast, Kaepernick noted that both former Niners coaches, Harpo and Chip Kelly, said he “made the locker room better,” contradicting a narrative that he would be a distraction for any team that signs him.

“In the 2016 season, my last year, my teammates voted me the most courageous and inspiring player,” he said. “So, when you talk about the people in the building, it never occurred to me that I was a distraction. It never seemed to be a problem for the people I played with.”

Kaepernick also said in the interview that today’s NFL should be “more in line” with his social views, given the league’s position on other matters of race relations in the United States.

“You have ‘Ending Racism’ in the back of your end zone. You have ‘Black Lives Matter’ on your helmet. Everything you’ve said should align with what you say publicly,” he said. “It’s a $16 billion business. When I first got on my knees, my shirt went to #1. When I made the deal with Nike, it increased in value by $6 billion. Six billion dollars. With B.

“…So if you’re talking about the business side, it shows [it’s] useful. If you’re talking about the play side, come on, let me compete. You can rate me from there. The NFL is supposed to be on merit. Come on, let me compete. If I’m not good enough, get rid of me. But let me come in and show you.”

Kaepernick said he ultimately wants to win the championship after approaching 49 players in Super Bowl XLVII, as San Francisco faltered in one game in a 34-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.