Skip Bayless Expects (But Doesn’t Support) Jimmy Garoppolo-Patriots Trade

Skip Bayless believes the New England Patriots will acquire quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo from the San Francisco 49ers.

That said, Bayless isn’t sold on such a trade working out for Bill Belichick and Co.

“I’m gonna say a big ‘yes’ to that (happening), and I’m gonna say ‘no’ on the idea of doing it, because it’ll be a bad idea for Belichick,” Bayless said Tuesday on FS1’s “Undisputed.”

The Patriots have been linked to Garoppolo all offseason, especially in wake of the 49ers trading up to No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft with an eye toward selecting a QB. New England re-signed Cam Newton to a one-year contract, but that hardly precludes the Pats from adding another signal-caller, either via trade, free agency or the draft.

NBC Sports’ Peter King revisited the Garoppolo-Patriots rumors in a column Monday morning, wondering whether the quarterback could land in New England for a second-round pick.

And 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t exactly extinguish the flames Monday when asked during a news conference whether he anticipates Garoppolo still being with San Francisco after the NFL draft concludes this weekend.

“I can’t guarantee that anybody in the world will be alive Sunday so I can’t guarantee who will be on our roster on Sunday,” Shanahan said.

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OK then.

One could interpret this several ways, we suppose, but Bayless explained Tuesday that he believes Shanahan’s comments signify that Garoppolo’s tenure in the Bay Area is nearing its end.

“He was basically telling you that Jimmy G will no longer be a 49er by next Sunday, after the draft is over,” Bayless said.

If so, perhaps it’ll lead to Garoppolo reuniting with the organization that drafted him in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft — for better or worse.

Garoppolo has experienced both ups and downs since New England traded him to San Francisco in 2017 as Tom Brady continued to thrive in Foxboro. He led the Niners to the Super Bowl during the 2019 season but also has battled inconsistency and missed significant time thanks to injuries.

The Patriots think very highly of Garoppolo, who turns 30 in November, and his possible availability certainly adds another layer of intrigue to New England’s plans for the upcoming draft.

The Patriots own the No. 15 overall pick in Round 1, and there’s been a ton of speculation about whether Belichick will look to find his next franchise quarterback Thursday night.