San Francisco 49ers: Colin Kaepernick on sideline as OTAs open

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Those sneaking a peek at the San Francisco 49ers' first Organized Training Activity (OTA) session Tuesday had to be disappointed with what they saw.

Or in this case, what they didn't see.

The much-ballyhooed quarterback battle between Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert? Didn't happen.

And, according to head coach Chip Kelly, it's not likely to happen anytime soon.

"There's not a race," Kelly insisted, fully aware the regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Rams remains almost four months away (Sept. 12). "We're not naming the starting lineup for the Rams game today."

Well, then when, coach?

"I don't have a timetable," he claimed. "You can't put a timetable on it. It has to express itself and let it happen organically. That's the only way it can happen.

"I've been involved at every level in quarterback battles. It's going to be won on the field. It's not going to be won because we have a timetable of it has to get set on May 17 or May 18."

Nothing will be decided on the field this week as Kaepernick cannot participate in the activities while he heals from offseason procedures on his left shoulder, right thumb and left knee.

Kelly said he doesn't even know when Kaepernick will be able to join the squad on the field.

"When they tell me we can start putting him into drills, we will," he said.

Kaepernick made eight starts last season, during which the 49ers went 2-6. He passed for 1,615 yards and six touchdowns, and rushed for another 45 yards and one score.

Gabbert finished the season as the starter. The club went 3-5 in his starts while he passed for 2,031 yards and 10 touchdowns, and rushed for 32 yards and one TD.

Since the end of the season, the 49ers have added four-year veteran Thad Lewis in free agency and Louisiana Tech's Jeff Driskel in the sixth round of the draft.

For now, the only competition between Kaepernick and Gabbert is off the field, and Kelly rates that dead-even.

"He's great in the classroom and has a great grasp of what we are doing," Kelly said of Kaepernick. "I was really impressed with both him and Blaine in their intelligence and being able to pick up what we are trying to do."