Ben Margot/Associated Press

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was battling shoulder tightness that sidelined him for the team's first two preseason games.

However, he is ready to return.

Continue for updates.

Kaepernick Active vs. Packers

Friday, Aug. 26

The 49ers announced Kaepernick will return to the lineup vs. Green Bay, but Blaine Gabbert will start.

Kelly Comments on Kaepernick's Playing Status

Wednesday, Aug. 24

When asked who the 49ers will start against the Green Bay Packers on Friday, head coach Chip Kelly said, per Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com:

We haven’t discussed it, yet. We got two days of training to go through. We’ll see. He’s on track. We’re excited and we’re hopeful he will be ready to go. But I’m not going to put the cart before the horse. We have a system. When we get to Friday, we’ll know exactly from [head athletic trainer Jeff Ferguson] who’s up and who’s down.

Latest on Kaepernick's Practice Status

Monday, Aug. 22

Cam Inman of the Mercury News reported Kaepernick took part in Monday's session, including team drills.

Kaepernick Out vs. Broncos; Team Hopeful for Next Week

Saturday, Aug. 20

NFL Network's James Palmer reported Kaepernick will not play against the Denver Broncos on Aug. 20 but said the team is hopeful he can play next week against the Green Bay Packers:

After the 49ers' 24-13 loss to the Houston Texans, Kelly said Kaepernick's shoulder was not a long-term issue and hoped he would play against the Broncos in the team's second preseason game, Inman reported Aug. 14.

Baalke Comments on Kaepernick's Shoulder Fatigue

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Wednesday, Aug. 17

"His arm is tired," 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said, per Maiocco. "To say it's dead, I wouldn't make that assumption."

Adam Schefter of ESPN spoke to two sources who characterized Kaepernick's injury as "a dead arm" on Monday. He added the team hopes Kaepernick will regain his strength soon.

Injury Came at Inopportune Time for Kaepernick

Given Kaepernick is in the midst of a quarterback battle with Gabbert, an injury couldn't come at a worse time for the signal-caller.

Kaepernick's career has been in a free fall for the last two years. He struggled out of the gate in 2015, throwing six touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games before losing his starting job to Gabbert.

The 49ers later placed Kaepernick on injured reserve due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. He also had procedures done on his right thumb and left knee during the offseason that left his timetable to return uncertain.

Kelly did not tip his hand at any point during the summer about who his starting quarterback would be. Gabbert ended 2015 with some momentum, throwing 10 touchdowns and completing 63.1 percent of his passes.

There's no denying Kaepernick's raw talents are vastly superior to Gabbert's, but his inability to stay healthy now combined with his erratic play make him difficult to depend on for a team that needs to assess its roster constantly to determine the best 53-man group in 2016.