AP

Eric Mangini spent three years as an assistant coach on the 49ers and got to know Colin Kaepernick well, and he wishes some team would call him to ask for advice about Kaepernick. Because Mangini thinks Kaepernick is a player who deserves a chance.

“I haven’t personally talked to anybody about it, but what I will say about Colin is I had a really good experience with Colin,” Mangini said this morning on PFT Live. “I wasn’t there over the last season where the protest and the different off the field issues became more of a focal point. But as a player, his numbers last season weren’t that far off from the year he brought the team to the NFC Championship Game. And he should get an opportunity. I think he’s got to get an opportunity.”

Mangini still believes that at some point before the season, some team is going to realize it has a need at quarterback that Kaepernick can fill.

“I think as the market settles and people start looking at these young quarterbacks they brought in and start evaluating the quarterback situation, they might realize it may not look as good as they hoped it would be,” Mangini said. “I always thought he would be a good fit for the Browns. Hue [Jackson’s] system is multiple shifts and motions, and that’s what he did in San Francisco. Hue has an element of quarterback-driven runs, I think Colin is excellent as that. As a candidate, him vs. RGIII a year ago, I’d take Colin 10 times out of 10.”

The Browns apparently don’t agree, because they’ve shown no interest in Kaepernick. So far only the Seahawks have been identified as a team giving Kaepernick a look. Mangini thinks a lot of other teams are being foolish by ignoring a quarterback who could make a difference.