49ers Mailbag: Kaepernick enters camp as No. 2 QB

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Q: I've heard good things about Josh Johnson so far. Is he poised to take the backup job from Kaepernick? (@jhoyt42)

Second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick enters training camp as Alex Smith's backup. And he is the favorite to hold onto that spot.If you watch Johnson drop back and throw the football during individual drills, it's a thing of beauty. He throws a tight spiral and produces a very catchable ball for his targets. That's probably the "good things" you heard or read.
But that's not a realistic way to judge a quarterback. After all, a quarterback's job in a game is a lot more complex. Any quarterback is lucky if half of his throws come after a straight drop with a clean pocket.While Johnson's throws during one-on-ones were more impressive, Kaepernick was generally better when it came to 11-on-11 work and two-minute drills. Kaepernick seems to be at his best while navigating the unexpected. He can make plays with his strong arm or his legs when a play breaks down.So that's where things stand with just one week before rookies report to 49ers training camp on July 21.
Johnson was the backup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He didn't sign with the 49ers to be demoted, so the daily competition for the No. 2 job is definitely going to be worth watching this summer.

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