SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- After five weeks of watching quarterback Blaine Gabbert struggle, San Francisco 49ers coach Chip Kelly is making a change.Kelly on Tuesday named Colin Kaepernick his starting quarterback for Sundays game against Buffalo, a decision that comes following weeks of speculation.?Just to announce, were going to make a move at quarterback and were going to start Colin this week and give him an opportunity to run with the ones, Kelly said. I believe youve got to do it at the beginning of the week just because of how reps are distributed.I think Ive always been confident, Kaepernick said. Its something that Im ready to step on that field, Im ready to play. Its been about a year since live game action. So, Im itching to get out there.After meeting with the coaching staff and discussing possible solutions for the Niners 31st-ranked offense (in yards per game), Kelly said the group came to the conclusion that one of the only moves it could make to potentially jump-start the offense was to make a change at quarterback.We were very analytical and sat down as a staff and watched the tape, went over everything, Kelly said. We had a couple days to kind of digest where we are and I think offensively we need to be better and we just need to make a move. And its really not, its not Blaines fault. I think its just as a group offensively we need to be better in a lot of ways so were going to see what we can do and make a move here. Its really one of the only maneuvers we can make based on our depth.According to Kelly, because Kaepernick and Gabbert have similar traits, the offense wont need to change much other than the way the reps are split in practice. Previously, it had been Gabbert taking about 75 percent of the work with the first team while Kaepernick handled the other 25 percent. Now, those roles will be reversed.Kelly informed Kaepernick and Gabbert of the decision and said both were professional in handling the news. According to Kelly, Kaepernick offered a simple two-word response of Lets go upon being told of the decision.Sundays game will mark Kaepernicks first start since Nov. 1 of last year, a 27-6 loss to the Rams. Kaepernick played briefly the following week before shutting it down for the season because of a shoulder injury.That shoulder injury turned into a harbinger of things to come as Kaepernick underwent a series of surgeries to his thumb and knee in addition to the shoulder. The recovery from those ailments left Kaepernick unable to lift weights and, combined with his decision to become vegan, Kaepernick lost considerable weight, though he declined to say exactly how much.When Kaepernick returned to the fold in the preseason, he made it through the first couple of weeks of training camp before right-shoulder fatigue forced him to miss the first three preseason games. He played in the final preseason contest against San Diego and handed the ball off three times in the Niners season-opening win against the Rams.Throughout the preseason and the early part of this season, Kelly often deflected questions about changing quarterbacks, citing Kaepernicks physical condition as preventing him from playing his best football.At his peak in 2012 and 2013, Kaepernick weighed about 225 pounds, the type of condition Kelly says allowed him to play well. Last week, Kelly said he wasnt sure of Kaepernicks exact weight now but said hes hovering around 215 pounds.We have gone over this ad nauseam, Kelly said. Hes not the same guy he was in 2013, just look at him physically. Thats the point I tried to make when people brought that up. Hes worked extremely hard on his rehab. We were talking about a guy that missed the offseason because of the injuries and thats the only point I ever tried to make about it.Kelly made it clear he wasnt so much putting a weight requirement on Kaepernick -- who remained the backup to Gabbert the first five weeks -- as he was hoping to see Kaepernick get back to the peak physical condition that allowed for so much success earlier in his career.Kelly said Tuesday that Kaepernick has gotten stronger since he initially picked Gabbert as the starter in August.When I made the decision on our starting quarterback it was over five weeks ago, were talking six weeks of rehab, Kelly said. He also missed two weeks of preseason camp, so based upon the time that we had him in preseason camp, he wasnt ready from a physical or mental standpoint in terms of where we were to start the season and thats when we made the decision. Were in Week 6 now of the National Football League. We were talking about that decision after the San Diego Charger game so that was over six weeks ago.Gabbert started each of the first five games, and after a solid outing against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1, struggled to produce. In four consecutive 49ers losses, Gabbert has struggled mightily.For the season, Gabbert ranks 30th in the NFL in passer rating (69.6) among qualified players, is tied for fifth most in interceptions (six), 26th in completion percentage (58 percent) and 31st in yards per attempt (5.93).Its a tough deal, but a change is made like that, its what the coaches felt best for this team, Gabbert said. It sucks. I dont like it. I dont like not playing. Ill be very forward about that. But, at the same time Im still going to come in to work the same way Ive always come in to work the three years that Ive been here.While the Niners pondered the change, some wondered if Kaepernicks contract was preventing Kelly from making the change. Under his current deal, Kaepernick would be guaranteed his $14.5 million base salary next year if he were unable to pass a physical on April 1, 2017.Although there have been reports of Kaepernick potentially agreeing to an adjusted contract to clear the way for him to start, Kelly said his decision had nothing to do with that.I dont deal with contracts, Kelly said. Its got nothing to do with his contract. Its a football decision. I dont even know where his contract status is. Thats a good question for him but Ive never discussed his contract nor will I discuss his contract.Kelly also brushed aside any concern that Kaepernicks protest of racial oppression and inequality in the United States by kneeling during the national anthem will become more of a distraction now that hes starting.No and I think weve answered that question ad nauseam as much as the weight question that weve answered is that it has not been an issue and I think because of how Colin has handled it, Kelly said. He handled it very straightforward with our players when it first came about way back when in August, and it hasnt been an issue since then, so I dont see it changing from that standpoint. Gerson Bautista Mariners Jersey . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. Reggie McClain Mariners Jersey . JOHNS, N. https://www.cheapmariners.com/2185k-dee-gordon-jersey-mariners.html . -- The boos poured down on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the end of a horrible first half. Gorman Thomas Mariners Jersey . The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem. Nelson Cruz Jersey . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. CLEVELAND -- Fresh off a World Series appearance, the Cleveland Indians want to hang on to one of the players who got them there.The team is expected to pick up their $12 million contract option on slugger Carlos Santana for next season. An announcement could come as early as Friday.Santana hit a career-high 34 homers and drove in 87 runs this season as the Indians got to the Series for the first time since 1997. They had a 3-1 lead over Chicago before losing two straight at home to the Cubs, who won their first championship since 1908.Cleveland had until five days after the final out to exercise their 2017 option on the 30-year-old Santana.Manager Terry Francona used Santana primarily as his designated hitter this season with Mike Napoli taking over at first.Santana has developed into a dependable middle-of-the-order run producer the Indians lacked for many seasons. The switch--hitter has batted leadoff and as deep as sixth in Franconas lineup.ddddddddddddWith Napoli eligible for free agency this winter, the Indians wanted to make sure they also hung on to Santana, who has walked at least 99 times in each of the past three seasons. It will be interesting to see how aggressive the Indians are about singing Napoli, who also hit 34 homers during the regular season but struggled in the playoffs and the 35-year-old batted just .167 in the World Series.The Indians can negotiate with him exclusively before free agency begins.When the club signed Napoli in January, Santana willingly accepted the move to DH and he volunteered to play left field in Wrigley Field during the Series when the Indians had to play by National League rules. ' ' '