Greg Cosell, Senior Producer of NFL Films, has chronicled Colin Kaepernick's struggles throughout the season.
First, it was "Kaepernick is not the kind of quarterback that helps, or can compensate for O-line play that is struggling."
Then, it was Kaepernick, "remains predominatly a predetermined thrower."
Last week, he said the 49ers' quarterback is an "uncomfortable player. He's a little locked up mentally."
What did Cosell have to say about Kaepernick this week?
"The more important element of mobility for an NFL quarterback -- and I don't think the game has changed, everybody thought it would two or three years ago but it really hasn't -- pocket mobility is more important than run-around mobility," Cosell said on KNBR-680 AM Tuesday morning. "Someone like Colin (Kaepernick), someone like RG3, they're not intuitive with their pocket movement. They can run out of the pocket and certainly Colin can make that 90-yard run every once in a while ... but pocket mobility -- two steps to the right, three steps to the left, climbing the pocket, being aware of pressure and finding that relatively quieter place to deliver the football -- that attribute at the NFL level is far more important than running around."
Cosell is referring to Kaepernick's spectacular 90-yard touchdown scamper against the Chargers last Saturday.
In that game, he completed 15 of 24 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown, and no interceptions.
He rushed for 151 yards on seven attempts.
But he's also referring to the fact that Kaepernick lost a fumble deep in his own territory, and the Chargers recovered for a touchdown. And how Kaepernick has been sacked a league-high 51 times this season -- some of which were self-inflicted.
"I don't know what people expect with these guys," Cosell explained. "They are coming into the NFL from offenses that are not really NFL-specific ... you're now asking guys how to play quarterback in the NFL, in the NFL. That takes time. That's hard to do."
