The NFL has begun what is expected to be an unprecedented quarterback offseason, with Matthew Stafford already heading to the Los Angeles Rams in a massive deal and a host of other starters who could change teams in the coming months. For the New England Patriots, the carousel could end up bringing Jimmy Garoppolo back to the team that drafted him for the first time, a report is speculated.
Mike Reiss, who covers the Patriots for ESPN, speculated that Garoppolo might be best suited for New England as the franchise is looking for a replacement for Cam Newton. He noted that the club would probably be interested in Deshaun Watson if the Houston Texans accepted his request for a deal, but acknowledged that it seemed unlikely that the Texans would send him to the conference.
This leaves Garoppolo as a more likely option, he added.
“Garoppolo is probably the Patriots’ best choice in terms of fitting and what it would take to acquire him (less than a first-rounder). But there is no guarantee that San Francisco is willing to move him, unless something potentially better appears, ”he wrote.
It has long been speculated that San Francisco will be ready to move on from Garoppolo, who has been battling injuries.
Reiss noted that the Patriots would be strongly positioned to make a move, with more than $ 50 million in the protected space of the salary cap for next season, which could give them an advantage over other teams as they expect the cap salary to decrease.
Although Stafford is no longer available, there have been rumors about connecting the 49ers to other signal callers. As Inquisitor reportedly, there are some insiders who believe the team could target Aaron Rodgers, who expressed some disappointment with the Packers at the end of the season.
There have been some reports suggesting that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick wanted to keep Garoppolo rather than send him to the 49ers. As ESPN reported in 2018, team owner Robert Kraft told Belichick that Garoppolo, then Tom Brady’s backup, would not be in the franchise’s long-term plans, leaving Belichick “angry and demoralized.” The Patriots have no clear roadmap for the quarterback now, Newton was not expected to return and Jarrett Stidham failed to impress in his more limited opportunities.
Uncertainty has led to some of New England’s players, certainly Devin McCourty says Double cover podcast that is not sure what the plans are for next season.
“There are a lot of teams that need defenders. We will be in that race, “McCourty said ESPN.
“She has Cam [Newton] come back? Do we have a new case? Nobody knows that. ”