Rumor: Jimmy G to “shake up” the 2017 NFL Draft

Rumors are circulating that a draft shakeup could occur involving Jimmy Garoppolo, who has been rumored to be a trade target for the Cleveland Browns.

It truly is the silly season in the NFL right now.

The Scouting Combine does not start until next week. Free agency is still a little more than two weeks away. The 2017 NFL Draft does not take place until the end of April.

Basically, everything coming out now is a mixture of rumors, speculation and misinformation, so any bit of news can be taken either as truth or gossip, depending on your particular point of view.

Much of the speculation, especially as it relates to the Cleveland Browns, swirls around Jimmy Garoppolo, last seen on the sidelines as the New England Patriots won Super Bowl 51.

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By now everyone knows the media-created narrative: current Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will play at a high level for another three to five years, Garoppolo is a franchise-altering quarterback despite throwing just 94 career passes, and the Patriots must trade him or risk losing this transcendent talent in free agency following the upcoming season.

Teams are so desperate to acquire Garoppolo, according to Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman, that someone is going to make New England head coach Bill Belichick the type of offer that he will simply not be able to refuse.

Freeman spoke with three NFL executives and reports that something big may be brewing:

"I want to be clear about what I’m being told: They believe several teams are preparing to make blockbuster offers for Garoppolo. I’m not saying it will happen. I’m saying this is the belief of some around football. They think a draft shakeup is coming and that it will involve Garoppolo."

"The increasingly popular view among some in the league is that Garoppolo can transform a franchise almost overnight and is worth a first-round pick."

"There’s a desperation that’s sweeping the league when it comes to finding a quarterback, greater than I’ve seen in a long time. One front-office executive called it the Dak Prescott Phenomenon."

"Prescott was a big reason the Cowboys transformed their franchise, and some people in football think Garoppolo can do the same. This is a massive assumption, but, again, teams may think it’s worth the risk and the high price it would take."

If those executives are to be believed, then the top three picks in the upcoming draft could very well be in play. The Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears all need a quarterback and they hold the first three selections in the draft.

So what could shakeup the draft more than one of those teams handing over a top three pick for Garoppolo?

The good part – again, depending on where you fall on the Garoppolo debate – is that the Browns hold all the cards here. If they truly believe that Garoppolo is the man for the job, they have enough assets in terms of draft picks to beat any other team’s trade offer, as well as the cap space to sign Garoppolo to an enticing contract.

Next: Browns: Trading top pick a mistake

This is the time of year where it is important to remember the words of the late Marvin Gaye:

“People say believe half of what you see, son, and none of what you hear.”

It is the silly season, after all.