Jim Harbaugh endorses Colin Kaepernick amid marathon push to return to the NFL

The 2022 season has kicked off and Colin Kaepernick is still out of the NFL. He hasn't been up to any eccentric shenanigans like Cam Newton. Nor did he suffer a major decline in his athletic ability.

Even as Kaepernick finds himself on the outside looking in, it appears there's still a sliver of hope for the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback. Over the weekend, as the Dallas Cowboys limped to a Week 1 defeat against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was forced off the field midway through the fourth quarter. Prescott made contact with Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett, injuring his right hand. While the Cowboys didn't place him on injured reserve, Prescott is expected to miss at least four weeks of action. Following Prescott's injury, there's been a clamor for the Cowboys to sign Colin Kaepernick to fill the quarterback-shaped hole on offense.

Kaepernick has been out of the NFL since opting out of his 49ers contract in 2017. He received some backing from Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh this week regarding his potential return to the NFL.

On the Rich Eisen Show, Harbaugh said of Kaepernick:

"He looked like he was in great shape. It's not just the workout, he was here around our team for about four or five days practicing, doing some things on campus. And he was like a kid in a candy store."

On being asked whether Kaepernick looked fit enough to make an NFL comeback, Harbaugh said:

"He was just like he was when I coached him. He was in incredible shape, threw the ball extremely well too, and during the workout it wasn't choreographed where [it was] receivers he had ever thrown with before. Yeah, I thought he looked extremely good."

Could the Dallas Cowboys move for Colin Kaepernick?

Colin Kaepernick - Super Bowl XLVII - Baltimore Ravens v San Francisco 49ers

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and these are certainly desperate times for the Dallas Cowboys. With an extensive injury list, the Cowboys are smack-dab in the middle of a full-blown crisis as early as Week 2. Injuries to Connor McGovern, Jayron Kearse and starting quarterback Dak Prescott have disrupted their best-made plans.

First Take's Stephen A. Smith also believes the Cowboys should bring Kaepernick in as Dak Prescott recovers from surgery:

"He ain't been around, but he's a playmaker with his legs who's available. You got to take that into consideration."

Dallas could certainly use a quarterback for the duration of Prescott's injury. Cooper Rush is set to start under center, but if the Cowboys go 0-2, they may get desperate. As to whether they will sign Colin Kaepernick, that remains to be seen.

If you use any of the above quotes, please credit the Rich Eisen Show, First Take, and H/T Sportskeeda.