From the moment Colin Kaepernick signed a six-year, $114 million contract long on years but short on guarantees, it gave him security and the San Francisco 49ers flexibility. But that arrangement soon will be approaching a critical juncture. Each game Kaepernick plays -- continuing with tonight's in San Francisco against the Seattle Seahawks -- becomes a referendum on what the 49ers should do with him after this season. Kaepernick is due $11.9 million in base salary and another $2 million in roster bonuses next season. If he's traded or cut before April 1, the 49ers would save $14 million in cash and $9.4 million in salary-cap space. Those are some big numbers for a big decision that San Francisco must soon confront. Kaepernick has shown signs of growing up, maturing, changing. The headphones he used to wear in the 49ers' lunch room are gone, allowing him to interact more with the teammates he is dependent upon. It's as if the walls and barriers have come...