NFL Rumors 2014: Colin Kaepernick Wants Bigger Contract From San Francisco 49ers Than Jay Cutler's $18.2 Million Annual Salary

Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers have reportedly been in talks about a contract extension over the past few weeks, but they have yet to reach a deal acceptable to both parties.

Previous reports indicated that the 49ers are planning to offer the quarterback a contract worth $15 million per year, but Kaepernick wants more than what his team is willing to give.

According to NFL.com, Kaepernick wants more than $18 million per year, or at least more than the contract Jay Cutler signed in January—an $18.2 million per season deal with $38 million guaranteed, which made him the highest-paid player in the NFL.

The 26-year-old quarterback, who just finished his third season in the league, believes that he's worth more than Cutler, considering the fact that he has more playoff wins than Cutler and Tony Romo combined.

"It's no surprise, then, that Kaepernick wants to get paid as a franchise quarterback on par with the monster contracts signed by Cutler and Romo in the past calendar year," NFL.com noted. "Kaepernick is seeking more than the $18.2 million annually that Cutler received in early January."

Sources indicated that the 49ers are currently unwilling to give into Kaepernick's demands, considering that the three-year veteran is relatively inexperienced compared to the other top quarterbacks in the league.

Kaepernick completed just 58.4 percent of his passes last season, the worst completion percentage among the top 10 QBs in the NFL, according to Football Outsiders.

Kaepernick's 54.6 percent accuracy rating under pressure was also the worst in the NFL last season.

But despite having a questionable accuracy rating, Kaepernick and his representatives are convinced that the former Nevada QB has a reasonable asking price based on his 21-8 record as San Francisco's starting quarterback.

If the 49ers decline to give into Kaepernick's asking price, the former second-round pick will reportedly play out the 2014 NFL season at his base salary and resume negotiations as a free agent next season.

"If the 49ers aren't willing to meet Kaepernick's asking price, he hasn't ruled out playing the 2014 season on his salary of $973,766 and cashing in as a free agent next offseason," NFL.com noted.

Postponing negotiations until next season could either work in his favor or backfire for Kaepernick. His asking price could go up if he leads the 49ers to the Super Bowl next season, but it could also go down significantly with a subpar performance.