In the 2014-15 season: Kaepernick passed for 3,369 yards, 19 touchdowns and had 10 interceptions to go along with it; also, he accounted for over 600-yards rushing, one touchdown and lost five of his eight fumbles (stats via cbssports.com)
Kaepernick, 27, will be entering his third straight season as the starting quarterback for the 49ers. Since being named the starter, several weeks into the 2012 season, he [Kaepernick] has shown that he's more than capable of being the starter in the NFL. He's taken the team to the playoffs in numerous occasions, has playoff success and even played in the Super Bowl within three years of being in the league. However, after regressing (record wise) in 2014, what will the future hold for this able-bodied quarterback? With the team making immense changes, how will that impact Kaepernick in the upcoming season? Former Head Coach, Jim Harbaugh parted ways with the team to go back and coach at the college level; wide receivers, Michael Crabtree and Stevie Johnson both left the team due to free agency; and the team will be without hall-of-fame running back Frank Gore, who was a free agent and chose to reunite with former Miami Hurricane teammate, Andre Johnson in Indianapolis. All of these changes adds to the pressure for Kaepernick. Yes, he did just receive a new contract that makes him more of the franchise player. However, this will be the first full year that Kaepernick is the focal point of the offense. Anquan Boldin, 34 (turns 35 Oct. 3), isn't getting any younger and at skill positions age is crucial; all-pro tight end, Vernon Davis is another player on the 49ers' offense that is getting past his prime and injuries have plagued him over the last year or so; the 49ers' defense that has been one of the leagues' best for the past several years looks utterly different, after all-pro linebacker Patrick Willis along with several others players retired.
Kaepernick will have to show that the defense and Harbaugh's system didn't protect him or make him look better than he actually is. But, what needs to happen, he needs to go out and show that he was the one all along that was the motor to the offense and that he's of elite status. As a starter, he has a career record of 25-14-1 (not including the playoffs).
With new Head Coach, Jim Tomsula coming in I don't think people really know what to expect. After coming off of an 8-8 season and missing out on the playoffs for the first time in three years, I don't know exactly what the San Francisco fans should be expecting in 2015. With additions of wide receiver, Torrey Smith and running back, Reggie Bush, it'll be hard to measure exactly where to put the 49ers in an overly competitive division that is the NFC West. The Seahawks have been dominating the division for the past two season and the Cardinals, last season, showed that they're an organization that is trying to win NOW! The Rams aren't overly impressive on paper, but they always play division rivals tough and it looks like they've found a quarterback that they can build around in Nick Foles (who they acquired from Eagles via trade). Kaepernick and 49ers may have their hands full in 2015.
After having a very pedestrian 2014 season, compared to the quarterbacks that are consider "elite" or tier-one, he has to show that he belongs in the same conversation as an Andrew Luck or Cam Newton. Right now, when discussed by most analyst, they usually categorize Kapernick with quarterbacks like Andy Dalton or Ryan Tannehill, no disrespect, who are good and only show "flashes" of being great but may never be a tier-one player.
With Kapernick now being one of the veteran leaders on the offense, he must now show that he's deserving of being mentioned with the quarterbacks of "elite" status around the league. After only passing for over 200 yards in one of his last five games in 2014, he has to come out in 2015 and show that he's more than capable of being a "dink-and-dunk" passer and he's deserving of being mentioned as one of the best quarterbacks and players in the league and 2015 would be the perfect opportunity for him to prove that.
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