It seems a Jimmy Garoppolo trade is not off the table for the New England Patriots this offseason.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen reported last week that a “person close to the Patriots” would be stunned if the 25-year-old backup quarterback was traded. Schefter clarified his report on WEEI’s “Kirk and Callahan” show Wednesday morning with Jon Meterparel and Trenni Kusnierek.
“I didn’t say that. One person told me that,” Schefter said. “I don’t know that I believe that. I think they definitely are going to listen and it’s going to be up to another team to make an attractive enough (offer). There was one person I spoke to with the Patriots who said he would be stunned if they traded him.
“Now, that doesn’t mean that that person is right, it means I think they are going to listen and it means they are going to ask for a lot. If somebody steps forward whether it is Chicago (Bears), or Cleveland (Browns), or San Francisco (49ers) I think they act, but they are not looking to randomly deal the guy to deal the guy.”
So, what could the Patriots get for Garoppolo, who has completed 43 of 62 passes for 502 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in parts of five games with two starts this season?
“In my mind, Sam Bradford went for a (first- and a fourth-round pick),” Schefter said. “So to me that is the starting point, and I don’t even know if they would do it then.”
A potential franchise quarterback like Garoppolo, who was selected 62nd overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, is hard to find.
“They have what they believe is a potential successor to Tom, whenever Tom decides to stop playing. It’s difficult to work that out sometimes, but it can be be done, especially considering Tom and Jimmy have the same agent. You figure something out. You just don’t give away the most important position in sports for nothing. That is one person.
“My own sense on Garoppolo is that they are going to explore that market. That they are going to listen. They are going to see what is out there and if some team steps forward and makes it such that they have to trade him they will, but they are just not going to look to give him away. That is not going to happen.”
The Patriots also have rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett on their roster. The Patriots thought highly enough of Brissett to select him in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft and activate him off injured reserve last week.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
