SANTA CLARA –- Colin Kaepernick is still not cleared to practice, but he is not falling behind in the quarterback competition, 49ers coach Chip Kelly said on Tuesday.
“He’s great in the classroom,” Kelly said of Kaepernick. “He’s got a great grasp of what we’re doing. I’m really impressed by both Blaine (Gabbert) and him and their intelligence and being able to pick up what we’re trying to do.
“So there’s no ‘fall behind’ because there’s no behind. There’s not a race. The first day we’re able to against defenses is today. We’re not naming the starting lineup for the Rams game today.”
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The 49ers have their first practice of organized team activities scheduled on Tuesday, beginning at 10:40am.
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The 49ers’ OTA workouts are scheduled for three days each week for the next three weeks. Then, the official offseason program concludes with the team’s mandatory minicamp scheduled for June 7-9.
Training camp is scheduled to begin in late-July to lead up to the 49ers’ season opener on Sept. 12 against the Los Angeles Rams.
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Kaepernick and Gabbert are expected to compete for the starting job, and Kelly said he has not set a date by which he wants to make a decision before the start of the regular season.
“I don’t have a timetable,” Kelly said. “You can’t put a timetable on it. It has to express itself and let it happen organically. That’s the only way it can happen. I’ve been involved in every level of quarterback battles. Just like battles at every other position, it’s going to be won on the field. It can’t be won because we have a timetable that has to be set by May 17th or May 18th.”
Kaepernick continues to rehab from surgeries to his left shoulder, right thumb and left knee. His only throwing has been done with athletic trainers during his rehab, Kelly said.