Colin Kaepernick appears to be leaving 49ers

On Thursday, the Broncos, Browns and Jets expressed interest in trading for the 49ers’ quarterback, with Denver emerging as the front-runner to secure his services, according to multiple reports.

The Broncos have considered parting with a third-round selection, NFL Network reported.

The trade talk comes after head coach Chip Kelly spoke to local reporters at the NFL combine and maintained Kaepernick was a “really good” quarterback who was in the team’s 2016 plans.

The Broncos’ strong interest isn’t surprising, given the retirement this week of Peyton Manning and the departure of his presumed successor, Brock Osweiler, who signed with the Texans on Wednesday.

[...] Denver general manager John Elway and head coach Gary Kubiak are former quarterbacks with 25 combined seasons of NFL experience who probably believe they can alter Kaepernick’s downward career trajectory.

Kubiak got an up-close look at Kaepernick during the 49ers’ joint training-camp practices with the Broncos before their 2015 preseason meeting in Denver.

[...] Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson also has a paucity of quality quarterbacks and is known to have coveted Kaepernick during the 2011 draft when he was the Raiders’ head coach.

The Jets — reportedly the least serious suitors for Kaepernick — are at an impasse in contract talks with free-agent Ryan Fitzpatrick, 33, who threw for 31 touchdowns and 3,905 yards last year.