Kaepernick returns to practice after bout with arm fatigue

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was back on the practice field Monday, participating in full team warmups before the session was closed to the media.

Kaepernick was sidelined with arm fatigue since before the 49ers' first preseason game. Though he didn't suit up Saturday against the Denver Broncos, he resumed throwing during an on-field workout beforehand, indicating a return was near.

Avoiding any further issues could bring the 28-year-old even with Blaine Gabbert in what still appears to be an open quarterback competition as head coach Chip Kelly has given no indication whether he's leaning in one particular direction.

A decision about Friday's starter against the Green Bay Packers could be telling, though, as the third exhibition game tends to serve as a dress rehearsal of sorts for the year ahead.

Kaepernick appeared in nine games last season before injuries forced him to the sidelines. That short stretch was easily the most uninspiring play of his career, but it's possible Kelly's quarterback-friendly attack helps him get back to the dynamic player he was in the Jim Harbaugh era.