Cleveland Browns: 3 myths surrounding a Jimmy Garoppolo trade
By Thomas Moore
The pro-Jimmy Garoppolo camp would have you believe that Garoppolo is a quarterback rarely seen in the likes of the NFL.
Tall (6-foot-2), strong armed and handsome, he is right out of central casting when it comes to wanting a quarterback. And talented, too! The six quarters that he has played in his three-year career are unlike anything that NFL has ever witnessed.
Which if true, raises the question of why the Patriots would be willing to trade a transcendent player like Garoppolo, even for a ransom?
If you buy into the idea that Brady will defy the entirety of NFL history and continue playing at a Super Bowl level until the age of 46 or 47, then it makes sense that the Patriots would be willing to trade Garoppolo, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
If New England does not do something now (if not sooner), then they “run the risk” of losing Garoppolo for “nothing” following the upcoming season as he will assuredly ride off to a new team and a big-money contract.
But time is not necessarily on the side of the Patriots.
As we’ve pointed out, Brady more than likely only has two good years left. Belichick will turn 65 in a few days, and even for someone who seems to enjoy the work, the grind of being an NFL head coach will eventually wear him down.
Does New England really want to run the risk of seeing Brady go down with an injury and have another Super Bowl run ruined because they don’t have an adequate backup? Is that really the plan?
Wouldn’t the Patriots be better off keeping Garoppolo as an insurance policy for 2017, see how things go with Brady, and then simply put the franchise tag on Garoppolo after the season? The Patriots have an estimated $42 million in available cap space for 2018, and in a league where Mike Glennon will be paid $15 million, surely the Patriots can find some cap space to pay for a once-in-a-lifetime talent Garoppolo. Right?
And, if not, then what does that tell you about Garoppolo’s real talent?
Which brings us to our final myth.