Since he was benched in November and subsequently went on injured reserve with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder, quarterback Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers appeared to be in line for a mutual parting.
But even as Kaepernick is beginning rehabilitation of shoulder, thumb and knee surgeries, the early stages of the 49ers’ search for a new coach look to be lining up favorably for a possible Kaepernick return in 2016.
At least two of the top candidates for the 49ers’ vacant head-coaching job are known to have coveted quarterback Colin Kaepernick in the past.