Tom Brady will be 40 this coming August, and while many athletes, let alone NFL quarterbacks, end their careers well short of that age, Tom Brady seems intent on playing well beyond 40. The Patriots seem intent on that too, which would lead one to ask questions about the future for prized backup Jimmy Garoppolo. Many people around the NFL are asking that same question, and some interesting answers are coming up.
Notably, the Patriots may entertain a trade for Garoppolo this offseason because they think Brady has plenty of football left in his body.
In their long-term planning, #Patriots believe QB Tom Brady will play 3-5 more years, sources say. That's why trading Jimmy G is possible.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 5, 2017
Let’s say Brady plays three more seasons and retires after 2019 at age 42. By that stage, Garoppolo will be 28 and well past the “Aaron Rodgers QB-in waiting” time frame. And since the Pats could grab even more assets for their backup who flashed some big potential this offseason, why wait since another QB like him should be available in a future draft?
That’s why speculation is rampant that Garoppolo will be wearing colors other than the red and blue of the Patriots next season. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports believes the Bears are a front runner for his services, and many other QB needy teams around the league would love to trade for him as well.
Tony Romo, who isn’t retiring, should also be available, along with potentially Jay Cutler, Tyrod Taylor, and other lesser names. All of these guys could be on the move before the NFL Draft in April, given how mediocre the quarterback class looks this year.
All of the movement might start with the Patriots believing Tom Brady will be an elite QB well past age 40. So if the Bears or anyone else gets Garoppolo, you have Brady to thank for that. Just hope Garoppolo isn’t the second coming of Scott Mitchell or Rob Johnson if your team does acquire him.
