Eric Reid believes the initial message he and Colin Kaepernick tried to send by kneeling during the national anthem as a silent protest of racial inequality last year has been lost in translation.

Nearly every NFL team has had players participating in some form of protest on the heels of Donald Trump's comments about players kneeling during the anthem.

"He thinks that [the weekend's protest] was a direct response to, obviously, what the president said," Reid said.

"[Kaepernick] wishes that this many people were involved last year. I don't think the narrative would have went in as many directions as it went if we had more solidarity. We could have focused in on these issues, but we have got to be pragmatic about it. We have this opportunity now, and it's important that we discuss the issues and make changes."

Colin Kaepernick was named the NFLPA's Week 1 Community MVP after he made the latest monthly $100,000 donation and he hosted a back-to-school backpack giveaway in New York. 

Last week's community award winner was Houston Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt, who has helped raise more than $33 million for relief efforts in the Houston area.

Kaepernick is still represented by the players union even though he is not currently employed by an NFL team.

Kaepernick vowed to donate $1 million last season after his national anthem protest.

The San Francisco 49ers have engaged an architecture firm to review their options over the short-term and long-term to improve the issues of Levi's Stadium.

The majority of seats at Levi's Stadium face the sun and have forced people out of their seats on warm days.

Second half kickoff pic.twitter.com/sEQgbtfJIq

— Ann Killion (@annkillion) September 10, 2017

The San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns lead the NFL in official cap space as the 2017 regular season begins at $64.2 million and $61.8 million respectively. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars rank third in cap space at $35.3 million.

The Los Angeles Chargers ($434k), Los Angeles Rams ($738k) and Miami Dolphins ($1.8 million) rank in the bottom-3.