Did Patriots Make Right Move Trading Jimmy Garoppolo? Max Kellerman Isn’t Convinced
The New England Patriots effectively had their future at the quarterback position set, but Tom Brady’s absurd longevity forced the franchise to call an audible.
With a monster payday looming and Brady still playing at a high level, the Patriots elected to cut ties with Jimmy Garoppolo via a mid-season trade in the 2017 campaign. Garoppolo immediately made a strong impression with the San Francisco 49ers and signed a record-breaking deal as a result.
As for the Patriots, they went on to reach Super Bowl LII after dealing Garoppolo and are less than two weeks away from competing for the Lombardi Trophy yet again. So one has to imagine the franchise isn’t harvesting any regret about the blockbuster trade, right?
Well, Max Kellerman isn’t so sure. During Thursday’s edition of “First Take,” the ESPN talking head explained why he’s still not totally sold that New England made the right move.
It will be far too easy to Monday morning quarterback the situation if Garoppolo ends up becoming the star that many expect him to be. But it will be important to remember the timing and logistics involved when everything went down. It would have been foolish to issue a lucrative contract to a backup QB, and the end of Brady’s career has become impossible to project. All things considered, the Patriots’ hands were tied.
And while most might not want to accept it in today’s “this or that” culture within the sports world, there’s a good chance both the Patriots and 49ers will be content with how things played out.
