The Patriots, as you may have heard, are pretty set at quarterback. They’ve got a fellow named Tom Brady, who is quite good and showing no signs of slowing down.
By any logic, therefore, New England should be extremely interested in trading promising back-up Jimmy Garoppolo, who is under contract for only one more season, to one of the many team prepared to offer a boatload of draft picks for him.
But these are the Patriots, so you never know. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, New England now wants to hold onto Garoppolo after all.
In a move that will have a ripple effect on all QB-needy teams, Patriots are not expected to trade QB Jimmy Garoppolo, per league sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 1, 2017
This is either a pretty shocking change in direction for Bill Belichick and company or a ploy for more leverage, and we’re betting on the latter.
The Patriots lose leverage if everyone in the NFL assumes they need to trade Garoppolo (which they basically do). So by telling teams they’re serious about holding onto him, maybe they can squeeze another draft pick or two out of one of many teams that need a quarterback. Or, to put it another way, if Belichick gets a massive offer, he’s not going to say no.
I don't know if Garoppolo will or won't be traded. But let's not pretend the Pats are hanging up the phone when teams call. Still in play.
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) March 1, 2017
Despite Schefter’s report, the safe money is on Garoppolo opening the season in Cleveland or San Francisco or Chicago. The Patriots are known to surprise us, but passing up on a bevy of high draft picks just to hold onto a backup quarterback in his walk year just makes zero sense.
