Colin Kaepernick: San Francisco 49ers QB says he can win starting gig

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- It seems like ages ago when the San Francisco 49ers were on top of the NFL world, competing in Super Bowl XLVII.

Now the quarterback that started that game is fighting to start week one in 2016. Colin Kaepernick is confident he can beat out Blaine Gabbert, who started eight games for the team last season. Kaepernick told the San Francisco Chronicle that he thinks he can unseat Gabbert.

"Yeah, most definitely," Kaepernick told Eric Branch. "I'm going to go out and show everything I can these next two games and make sure I put my best foot forward to show this organization, this team, this coaching staff what I'm capable of."

The 49ers face the Green Bay Packers Friday at Levi's Stadium in preseason action. Kaepernick has had three surgeries and hasn't played in a game since Nov. 8.

After the 49ers face the San Diego Chargers on Sept. 1, Kaepernick is out of opportunities to prove himself before the team's Sept. 12 opener against the Los Angeles Rams.

Kaepernick, 28, dealt with arm fatigue in early August, leaving the way for Gabbert to take first team snaps during that time. But Gabbert hasn't overwhelmed coaches with his skill so far this preseason. Kaepernick told the Sacramento Bee's Matt Barrows that his arm now feels "normal."

"We're going to take the full time that we have to evaluate and make sure we have the right decision on who our quarterback's going to be," 49ers coach Chip Kelly told Barrows. "Our plan is to build [Kaepernick] up this week and see if we can play him on Friday."

Gabbert has completed 10-of-19 passes for 132 yards, one score, and no interceptions in two preseason games.

"This is really a big dress rehearsal leading into the regular season," Gabbert told 49ers.com. "You approach any game as if it's a regular season game. We just want to keep improving on what we've done in the first two games."