SANTA CLARA – New coach Kyle Shanahan promises to watch all the film on quarterback Colin Kaepernick before determining whether he decides if there's a fit for the 49ers offense.
"I see a lot better than I hear," Shanahan said on Thursday. "I have to go watch it on tape. Colin, just like any other player, is someone I'm going to be watching a lot of tape on over these next few weeks.
"Before we look at anything -- free agency, the draft, anything -- you have to know what the players on your team are. And that doesn't happen from just turning on a game. That happens from watching a lot of stuff. It takes a lot of time."
Lynch, the 49ers' new general manager, said Kaepernick reached out to him and the men spoke. He plans to meet with Kaepernick face-to-face in the near future.
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Lynch was asked if Kaepernick will be judged solely on his football ability or other areas will figure into the equation. Lynch said he always had good interactions with Kaepernick when they met prior to games Lynch worked as a television analyst on FOX.
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"It will be a football decision," Lynch said, "but I think part of that, there are different layers to that. I think everything will be included in the decision. I'm not talking specifically about his stance, though. When you have a quarterback, the great ones are leaders of men. All those things will be taken into account.
"I'm looking forward to sitting down with him. I really am. Colin and I, when I did some 49ers games, I'd say we hit it off. I'd say there was a trust there. I think that trust extends, and I was thrilled when he reached out. I'm looking forward to talking with him."
Kaepernick, 29, produced his best statistical season since 2013, his first full season as a starter. In 11 starts, Kaepernick completed 59.2 percent of his passes with 16 touchdowns, four interceptions and a passer rating of 90.7. He also rushed for 468 yards and two touchdowns.
Kaepernick signed a restructured contract in October that allows him to opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent. He is expected to opt out. If he does not, the 49ers would be expected to release him to avoid being responsible for his scheduled $14.9 million pay for 2017.
Kaepernick started 58 of the past 71 games for the organization since the middle of the 2012 season.
Blaine Gabbert, who started the other 13 games but ended last season as the No. 3 quarterback, is also scheduled for unrestricted free agency, along with Christian Ponder and Thad Lewis. Ponder surpassed Gabbert late in the season to be the No. 2 quarterback, and Lewis spent the season on injured reserve with a torn ACL.
"The first order of business is Kyle and I both really attacking it and seeing what we have here," Lynch said. "And we'll do that with his situation. We'll sit down with him. If we see fit that he's a part of it, we'll commit to that. If not, we'll figure things out."
Said Shanahan, "It starts for me with just studying people. Most of the offensive guys I haven't studied since they were college players. The defensive guys I've studied to a degree because I've played against the Niners a couple of times over the last few years."
