The Facts: Colin Kaepernick made his 2016 on-field debut Tuesday, taking part in individual drills as he works his way back from three different offseason surgeries. The veteran passer has a long way to go in what could be the most important season of his career, and NFL Media columnist Michael Silver came away from a trip to Niners camp with the belief that Kaepernick has an uphill climb simply to take meaningful snaps in 2016. Silver told NFL Network viewers that Kaepernick is "allegedly in competition" for the starting job while labeling Gabbert as the "heavy favorite" for the No. 1 role.

Diehards Line: "He's loved in this locker room," Silver said of Gabbert. "He did a lot of good things last year and I'd be shocked if he's not the starter in the opener." Silver compared Gabbert to Alex Smith, saying the former first-round pick could be the type of player who "resurrects himself" later in his career. Remember, HC Chip Kelly has talked up Gabbert's physical abilities. "You look at his skill set," Kelly said. "He took off against the Bears and went (44) yards for a touchdown. He ran 4.61 in the combine when he was coming out. He's big. I'd never really dealt with Blaine because he came into the league before I came into the league, but just how big and physical and impressive he is. He's a 6-4, 245-pound guy that can really run. ..." It's safe to assume we'll be following up on this situation throughout August.