Blaine Gabbert started the final eight games of the 2015 season, and the first five games this year.
But on Sunday in Buffalo, Colin Kaepernick will be the 49ers' No. 1 quarterback.
"It sucks because Blaine's my best friend on the team," 49ers center Daniel Kilgore said on KNBR 680 on Wednesday. "I want to see him do well, but at the same time we all have a job to do, and he wasn't playing up to his full capability. He knows that.
"The coaches decided to go with the change. Luckily it's not anything new for Kap and I to work together ... it's no different for me."
[RELATED: Cosell: Two keys for Kaepernick to find success under Chip Kelly]
The 49ers are 31st in the NFL in passing yards per game, and Gabbert ranks 30th out of 31 qualified quarterbacks in passer rating.
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Chip Kelly is hoping the change at quarterback jumpstarts the offense, but Kilgore doesn't think that Kaepernick brings anything different to the table.
"He's got the arm strength, he's got the speed. Blaine's got the speed and he's got the arm strength," Kilgore said. "Nothing different really as far as one being able to do better than the other. They're both pretty similar in style of play."
Kaepernick (second round, 36th overall) and Kilgore (fifth round, 163rd overall) entered the league together in 2011.
