Jets pass on Colin Kaepernick after Aaron Rodgers injury

Four-time MVP and offseason acquisition Aaron Rodgers went down with a season-ending Achilles tear on his fourth snap with the team in New York's Week 1 overtime win against the Buffalo Bills on "Monday Night Football."

Head coach Robert Saleh has said that 24-year-old Zach Wilson is being given the keys to the Jets offense, but it's also been reported that Gang Green could look from outside the organization to bring in a veteran quarterback to either be the backup or compete with Wilson for the starting gig.

It was reported on Tuesday that Kaepernick's agent had reached out to New York and that the former second-round pick "remains on the West Coast working out."

Kaepernick hasn't played in an NFL game since Week 17 of the 2016 campaign when his Niners fell to the Seattle Seahawks 25-23 on New Year's Day 2017.

He played in 75 games (including six playoff contests and one Super Bowl) over six years but went unsigned through the summer entering the 2017 season amid allegations that he was being blackballed due to his on-field political statements, most notably kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality. Kaepernick filed a grievance against the league during the fall of 2017, accusing league owners of colluding to keep him out of the NFL, but later withdrew the grievance in February 2019 after reaching a confidential settlement with the league.

The University of Nevada product's last game came just a couple of months after turning 29 years old, typically a prime age for an NFL quarterback, but he's now less than two months away from turning 36. Despite being in his mid-30s, Kaepernick earned praise during a workout over the summer from stars such as Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, Miami Dolphins wideout Jaylen Waddle, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave and Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry.

Additionally, Kaepernick has had visits and/or workouts with a handful of teams in recent years, including the Las Vegas Raiders in May 2022.

Perhaps the quarterback-turned-civil rights activist will someday get another shot on the gridiron, but it won't be with the Jets.