What's next for 49ers' Colin Kaepernick now that 2016 salary is guaranteed?

Colin Kaepernick remains a member of the San Francisco 49ers, but for how long?

The quarterback's 2016 base salary of $11.9 million will become guaranteed Friday since the team did not release him in advance of Thursday’s 4 p.m. ET transaction deadline. However that does not preclude the Niners from trading Kaepernick at a later date, perhaps during the NFL draft, which begins April 28. A new team would then assume the salary or, in a more likely scenario, Kaepernick would agree on a new contract, perhaps with a reduced salary.

That would need to be the case for the quarterback-needy Denver Broncos, who appear to be Kaepernick’s most serious suitor, but currently have less than $2 million in salary cap space. Though trade talks between Broncos general managerJohn Elway and 49ers general manager Trent Baalke have cooled in recent weeks, they could reignite closer to the draft, when Elway could choose to start dealing some of his 10 picks.

Next up for Kaepernick will be reporting to the Niners' Santa Clara, Calif., headquarters for the start of the offseason conditioning program Monday. Attendance is voluntary, but Kaepernick, who may not yet be physically recovered from offseason shoulder, knee and thumb surgeries, has a $400,000 bonus that stipulates he must participate in 90% of the offseason conditioning program and all of the team's mandatory minicamp activities and training camp.

Whenever Kaepernick reports, it will be the first real chance for him to talk football with new head coach Chip Kelly and discuss how he might fit into the offense. That could be the first step in repairing whatever hurt feelings might remain between Kaepernick and the team after a tumultuous 2015 that saw him lose his starting job toBlaine Gabbert midway through the season. Kaepernick’s agents requested permission to seek a trade in February, following months of tension with San Francisco's front office.

The Broncos will not start their offseason program, with new quarterback Mark Sanchez, until April 18.