Bengals listed as slight favorites to sign Colin Kaepernick

The Bengals are reportedly planning on attending Colin Kaepernick’s workout in Atlanta this Saturday, but could they be one of the teams most interested in signing him?

SportsBetting.ag has the Bengals to be the favorites to sign Kaepernick (H/T to CJ alum Rebecca Toback on the find):

As the team with the worst record in the NFL, it makes sense on the surface that the Bengals would be interested in adding quarterback talent. However, the Bengals actually signing Kaepernick makes next to no sense when adding in context.

The Bengals just benched their Andy Dalton, their franchise quarterback, in order to see what they have in his backup, Ryan Finley. This is the plan for the remainder of the season and it will not change because the Bengals aren’t in a position to make a playoff push. Just because Kaepernick’s chances of returning to the NFL have all of the sudden been given a boost doesn’t mean the Bengals—of all teams—should jump at the opportunity.

The explanation for why the Bengals are the favorites to sign Kaepernick is also nonsensical.

The ownership and team brass has had an affinity for “troubled” players a first or second chance. And what better way to keep a winless franchise that recently benched its franchise quarterback relevant in the media (other than tanking for the No. 1 pick) than to sign Kaepernick?

The goal for the Bengals right now is not to be relevant right now. The goal is to further evaluate where the roster is going into 2020, before they draft a first-round quarterback. Just because Kaepernick has an unfair reputation as a “troubled” player doesn’t mean the Bengals are salivating at the chance to provide him redemption.

A team that does have the playoffs in sight should be where Kaepernick signs. This explains why the Steelers, Ravens, Bills and Raiders are also listed with favorable odds. Those teams need depth at quarterback as they enter the final stretch for the postseason, while teams like the Panthers and Bears could use some actual competition.

They make sense for Kaepernick. The Bengals do not.