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Jimmy Garoppolo

49ers To Acquire QB Jimmy Garoppolo

October 30th, 2017 at 7:19pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The 49ers have agreed to acquire quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo from the Patriots in exchange for a 2018 second-round pick, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. San Francisco owns two 2018 second-rounders, but New England will acquire the 49ers’ original pick, per Schefter (Twitter link)."<strong

The deal is a stunning transaction on multiple levels, but perhaps the most curious aspect of the trade is that New England hadn’t expressed in any interest in moving Garoppolo despite the presence of Tom Brady under center. Bill Belichick & Co. reportedly rejected multiple trade offers in exchange for Garoppolo before the draft, and instead dealt third-string quarterback Jacoby Brissett before the season began.

But instead of potentially using the franchise tag on Garoppolo next spring before trying to trade him, New England has moved him now following talks that began Monday morning, per Schefter (Twitter link). The fourth-year pro will head to San Francisco, where he’ll become the starting quarterback under head coach Kyle Shanahan not only for the rest of the 2017 campaign, but for the foreseeable future.

Garoppolo, of course, offers limited NFL experience, as he’s spent the majority of his Patriots tenure as Brady’s understudy. But the Eastern Illinois product was able to start two games for New England in 2016 while Brady was serving a four-game suspension. While Garoppolo played well in his time on the field, he was injured early in his second start, meaning the regular season film on him is extremely limited.

The 49ers will also need to work out an extension for Garoppolo, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next season. While San Francisco could use the franchise tag in 2018, the club presumably wouldn’t have traded for Garoppolo if it didn’t have every intention of handing him a long-term contract. The 49ers rank in the top-five of cap space in each of the next three seasons, meaning they have ample funds to spend on their new signal-caller.

San Francisco’s acquisition of Garoppolo also has wide-ranging implications for the rest of the league and the 2018 quarterback market. Given the presence of Shanahan, the 49ers have long been viewed as the No. 1 destination for Redskins passer Kirk Cousins, who will become a free agent next spring barring a third consecutive franchise tender. San Francisco is now out of the Cousins equation, making next year’s open market all the more complicated.

The Patriots, meanwhile, are clearly banking on Brady (now age-40) playing for several more seasons, something he’s vowed to do. In the near-term, New England will need to add another quarterback, as Brady is now the only signal-caller on the club’s roster. The Pats auditioned several signal-callers, including Matt Barkley and Matt McGloin, earlier this year.

Albert Breer On Cousins, Garoppolo, Raiders

October 5th, 2017 at 12:37pm CST by Zachary Links

This year’s free agent quarterback market is shaping up to be one of the strongest in recent memory, Albert Breer of The MMQB writes. Teams are always eager to draft their next franchise QB, but this year it might make more sense for teams to sign a veteran instead. Kirk Cousins (vertical)

“Fans and media want their guy—the start-from-the-bottom, untainted rookie,” one AFC exec told Breer. “And the Moneyball guys will say it’s cheaper through the draft, which is true. Bu if the point is to have a functional starting quarterback, any football guy will tell you that while everyone wants a Brady or Rodgers, the reality is those are fewer and father between. So a Kirk Cousins or a Jimmy Garoppolo? I think football guys are drooling over that. If a guy like that gets out in free agency? You see what K.C. can do with Alex Smith. Put Cousins on a good squad with a good coach, I don’t know many football guys that’ll say that won’t work. And all those guys you named, they all can play at a starting caliber level … You can solve your problem before you get to the draft.”

The crop of potentially available signal callers goes far beyond just Cousins and Garoppolo. Drew Brees, who turns 39 in January, has looked great through the first month of the season. At least one of the Vikings’ signal callers – Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater – should be there for the taking in March and the aforementioned Smith might not have a place in Kansas City thanks to the presence of Patrick Mahomes. Meanwhile, A.J. McCarron is still viewed as a hot property even though he’s on the Bengals’ bench.

Here’s more from Breer’s column:

  • Did the Patriots make a mistake by signing cornerback Stephon Gilmore this offseason? Gilmore made costly mental and communication errors against Carolina on Sunday and that’s nothing new, based on what three sources who were in Buffalo last season tell Breer. Gilmore did quite a bit of finger-pointing last year, they say, and also made business decisions on run plays as he nursed a shoulder injury. Gilmore is in Year One of a five-year, $65MM deal which included an $18MM signing bonus. The pact calls for $31MM fully guaranteed through 2018.
  • The Raiders didn’t give much consideration at all to signing a stopgap quarterback in the wake of Derek Carr’s injury, Breer hears. That could have been a deliberate move to keep the team’s confidence high, but he hears that the Raiders legitimately like what they have in EJ Manuel and Connor Cook. Eyebrows were raised when it was reported that the Raiders did not consider signing Colin Kaepernick, but it sounds like they didn’t give real though to signing any quarterback.

AFC East Notes: Brissett, Ajayi, Bills

August 13th, 2017 at 10:35am CST by Rory Parks

We heard last week that Jacoby Brissett‘s place on the Patriots‘ roster may not be safe, and Ben Volin of the Boston Globe doubled down on that report this week. Volin reiterated that Brissett’s performance in the spring and in training camp has left much to be desired, and he says it is fair to wonder whether the Patriots refused to deal Jimmy Garoppolo because they believe Garoppolo represents their future, or because they have no faith in Brissett should Tom Brady be forced to miss time (in truth, it is surely some combination of the two). In any event, Volin opines that New England may have to keep Garoppolo next year, even if that means putting the franchise tag on him (at an estimated $25-26MM cost). After all, the team will still be loaded with talent and should be a championship contender in 2018, but a Brady injury could waste all of that talent if the No. 2 QB cannot adequately replace him.

Now for more from the AFC East:

  • Dolphins RB Jay Ajayi is still in concussion protocol, but he did practice today and the team is excited about his progress, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets. Ajayai left practice early with a trainer, but that was due to a hydration issue, Jackson notes.
  • Dolphins second-round draft choice Raekwon McMillan, who was expected to see significant time at middle linebacker this season, tore his ACL while playing on the punt coverage team in Miami’s first preseason tilt Thursday night. He will now miss his entire rookie season, and head coach Adam Gase has been predictably criticized for using a player of McMillan’s importance on special teams. Roy Cummings of Florida Football Insiders believes such criticism is unwarranted, writing that a head coach cannot field kickoff, kickoff return, punt coverage, and punt return teams without playing first- or second-year guys. Likewise, you cannot expect those players to perform well on special teams in the regular season if they do not see live action in the preseason.
  • Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News offers his take on which wide receivers will make the Bills‘ roster after the team dealt Sammy Watkins and acquired Jordan Matthews. Skurski says Matthews, Zay Jones, and Anquan Boldin will make the club, which is a given, and he adds that Rod Streater is likely to earn a spot due to his excellent camp. Skurski says he currently projects Andre Holmes and Brandon Tate to round out the WR corps, but the fact that cutting Holmes could help the team land a high compensatory draft choice next season certainly works against him. If Holmes should be cut, Walter Powell could find himself on the 53-man come Week 1.
  • Christian Hackenberg played fairly well in the Jets‘ first preseason game last night, thereby creating more fodder for Gang Green’s starting QB discussion. But as Laura Albanese of Newsday writes, there are other competitions worth watching. For instance, the battle for the team’s starting center position is tighter than originally anticipated, as Jonotthan Harrison is putting pressure on presumed starter Wesley Johnson. Likewise, Albanese writes that Brent Qvale and Brandon Shell appear to be neck-and-neck in their race for the Jets’ right tackle job.

Extra Points: Garoppolo, Bell, Romo

July 20th, 2017 at 9:27pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

In an effort to find out what the Patriots have in much-ballyhooed No. 2 quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, Mike Giardi of CSNNE.com spoke with three scouts (two AFC, one NFC), an ex-Pats player and an NFC front office executive. The former Patriot offered effusive praise of the 25-year-old Garoppolo, saying of Tom Brady‘s backup: “I played against him every day in practice. He’s all that. He can make all the throws. He can process all the information. He is a gamer. He can slow it down. He can spin it. I’m going tell you this, if he had gotten traded to Cleveland, they’re a borderline playoff team. I really believe that.”

One of the AFC scouts was similarly kind to Garoppolo in his assessment, noting: “I absolutely loved the kid coming out of college. When we interviewed him, [it was obvious] he’s got those qualities you want in a QB, as a leader. I begged our guys to take him at the end of the first round. That’s how good I thought he was then. He’s a hell of a lot better now.” Garoppolo ended up going in the second round of the 2014 draft, and though he hasn’t played much since, the scout believes he’s a franchise QB in waiting and contends that it’s “genius” that the Patriots have refused to trade him.

With Brady showing no signs of slowing down even as he enters his age-40 campaign, Garoppolo probably won’t see the much field this year. Garoppolo’s contract will expire thereafter, which will make his situation an extremely compelling one to watch when the Patriots’ season concludes in either January or February. The Pats probably aren’t going to let the impending free agent leave, as head coach Bill Belichick “thinks he’s got the next great one,” according to the other AFC scout.

More from around the NFL:

  • In addition to detailing Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell‘s long-term asking price Wednesday on NFL Network, former teammate Ike Taylor said there’s a “strong possibility” Bell will hold out of training camp, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Given that Bell hasn’t signed his $12.1MM tender as the Steelers’ franchise player, he’s under no obligation to report and wouldn’t face any punishment by staying away. Bell could therefore take a cue from Chiefs safety Eric Berry, who was unhappy with his franchise designation last year and didn’t show up until the end of August.
  • Taylor noted Wednesday that Bell wants money that reflects his production as both a superstar runner and a No. 2 receiver. Bell confirmed as much Thursday, telling Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com that he’s seeking a contract well in excess of Bills RB LeSean McCoy‘s league-high amount. “I make plays in the passing game, blocking, doing everything,” said Bell. “I’m arguably the top running back in the NFL and the No. 2 receiver on the Steelers, even though I play running back. Their career receiving total vs. mine, they don’t have more yards than me.” Prior to this past Monday’s deadline to sign franchise players to long-term deals, the Steelers did attempt to ink Bell to a deal worth more than McCoy’s five-year, $40MM-plus pact. Their five-year, $60MM proposal didn’t get it done, though.
  • Cowboys third-round pick Jourdan Lewis‘ career is off to an inauspicious start. Lewis, the 92nd overall selection, will go to trial in Michigan next week for a misdemeanor domestic violence charge, reports Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today. That will keep Lewis out for the early portion of training camp, for which Cowboys rookies reported on Wednesday. Lewis’ charge stems from a March altercation with his live-in girlfriend, who told police that he put his “his hands around her neck.” The player pleaded not guilty, but he was unable to reach a settlement with prosecutors at a pre-trial hearing on Thursday, according to Jones.
  • Tony Romo continues to vacillate between “done” and “very likely done.” The retired quarterback and current CBS analyst declared last week that he’s through playing football, but now he seems to be leaving the door open ever so slightly for a return. As a guest Thursday on the Ben & Skin show on 105.3 The Fan, Romo said he’s “99.9 percent done” (Twitter link via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News). The 37-year-old made a similar remark in April, after which a report surfaced stating that teams expect him to make a comeback. While Romo’s career probably is over, a significant preseason injury to a team’s starting QB could change the calculus. It did last summer for Romo, then with the Cowboys, as he broke a bone in his back in August and was unable to reclaim his starting job from super rookie Dak Prescott when he returned midway through the season.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC Rumors: Garoppolo, Jets, Lynch, Ravens

June 6th, 2017 at 6:24pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Contract-year quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo indicated Tuesday that he would be open to discussing an extension with the Patriots, relays Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com. “I’d entertain any possibility,” said Garoppolo. “I’m really not thinking about too much right now. There’s just so much going on with OTAs and training camp is right around the corner. That’s where my focus is, and we’ll cross that bridge when we get there, I guess.” Unsurprisingly, Garoppolo added that he’s not satisfied holding a clipboard, saying: “Obviously I want to play. That’s the competitor in me. I think everyone out here wants to play. And we come out here and compete every day for that opportunity. If you go out there and earn it, it’s yours.”

With Tom Brady entrenched under center, there’s no path to immediate playing time in New England for Garoppolo, though the former is in a race against time as he goes into his age-40 season. While the Patriots would like to keep Garoppolo and have him eventually take over for Brady, preventing him from hitting free agency next offseason might not be realistic if Brady‘s excellence continues. There’s no indication an extension is coming, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com, but Mike Reiss of ESPN.com suggests the Patriots should take a proactive approach and offer the signal-caller a one-year, $24MM extension now. If Garoppolo were to accept it, the Pats would be able to spread the money over the next two seasons. Otherwise, should the team place the franchise tag on Garoppolo next year, it would potentially have a backup QB occupying $24MM in cap space.

More from the AFC:

  • The Jets are going to release linebacker David Harris, but they did try to get the 10-year veteran to take a pay cut before deciding to part with him, reports Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Harris’ camp is unhappy with the Jets, though, because there were no negotiations about a reduction in pay before the offseason began in earnest, tweets Garafolo. Agents Brian Mackler and Jim Ivler told Garafolo they’re “very disappointed in the timing of this event and the decision. The Jets could’ve done this prior to free agency instead of waiting three months, especially for a player who has exhibited nothing but loyalty and class for 10 years.” It doesn’t seem as if Harris will go without a job for long, as he is already drawing interest from other teams, Mackler informed SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link).
  • The Raiders’ forthcoming move to Las Vegas inspired Marshawn Lynch to come out of retirement and join the franchise as its time in Oakland nears an end, the running back told media on Tuesday (Twitter links via SiriusXM NFL Radio and Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal). Lynch, an Oakland native, expressed regret that “a lot of Oakland kids won’t have the opportunity to see their idols play football anymore.” The Raiders are down to their final two or three years in Oakland and will head to Vegas in 2020. Lynch won’t make that trek, it seems, as he’s already 31 and only under contract through next season.
  • The Ravens could be the next destination for soon-to-be former Jets wide receiver Eric Decker, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (Twitter link). For now, the receiver-needy Ravens are scheduled to meet with free agent wideout Jeremy Maclin on Wednesday, but he’s currently in Buffalo and won’t make it to Baltimore if the Bills are able to close the deal tonight.

Pats Didn’t Consider Trading Garoppolo

May 25th, 2017 at 5:11pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Although Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was popular in trade rumors earlier in the offseason, the reigning Super Bowl champions never considered dealing Tom Brady‘s backup, ESPN’s Adam Schefter told Bleacher Report’s “Stick to Football” Podcast (via Ryan Hannable of WEEI). The Browns were the most aggressive suitors for Garoppolo, even inquiring about him during the first round of the draft, but he’s primed to remain in New England for at least one more season.

Jimmy Garoppolo (Vertical)

As a contract-year player, the Patriots could risk losing Garoppolo to free agency next March and potentially receiving only a compensatory third-round pick in return – significantly less than they would have gotten had they traded him this offseason, perhaps. But Schefter expects the Patriots to find a way to keep Garoppolo past next season, noting that they’re “big believers” in the 25-year-old and consider him the heir to Brady, who’s entering his age-40 campaign. Brady remains the best quarterback in the NFL despite his age, and there’s no indication that he’s going away anytime soon, though Schefter cautions that “Father Time usually wins that battle.”

In the event Brady’s excellence continues in 2017, that should make it more difficult for the Pats to extend Garoppolo, who would likely land a massive contract and a guaranteed starting job if he were to reach free agency next March. As such, the Patriots might have to place the franchise tag on Garoppolo to retain him, which will cost in the neighborhood of $22MM in 2018. Otherwise, if keeping Garoppolo as a franchise player would be too pricey, New England could tag and trade him – as it did with former Brady backup Matt Cassel in 2009.

East Rumors: Brady, Patriots, Bills, Taylor

May 15th, 2017 at 1:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Recently, Tom Brady was asked if he is annoyed that Bill Belichick hasn’t traded Jimmy Garoppolo and his non-answer might raise some eyebrows.

“When you’re a member of a team sport, the best guy plays,” the Patriots quarterback told Ian O’Connor of ESPN.com. “So I always want to make sure I’m the best guy, and I give our team a great chance to win. But if you’re ever not [the best guy], part of being a great teammate is letting the other guy do that, as well. Competition is what has always driven me. I’ve never been one that was hand selected, to be this particular player. … In high school, college, professionally, I think the greater the competition, the more that it really allows me to dig deep and bring the best out of me.”

Of course, this is a far cry from Brady saying that he’s peeved at the team for not trading the backup QB, but he didn’t shoot the notion down when given the opportunity either. The Patriots were at least mulling a Garoppolo trade at some point this offseason, but it seems that they set an extremely high asking price because they ultimately did not want to part with him.

Here’s more from the AFC and NFC East:

  • In an interview on Monday, Bills GM Brandon Beane said Tyrod Taylor will probably be the team’s starting QB, but he cautioned that he’s “not in business of handing out jobs on May the 15th,” (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak).
  • Giants kicker Aldrick Rosas cleared a giant hurdle this weekend when the team declined to sign veteran Travis Coons after a weekend tryout. “I try not to focus on the competition,” Rosas told James Kratch of NJ.com. “I just try to focus on how I can improve myself and be the best specialist I can be.” For now, Rosas stands as the only kicker on the team’s roster.
  • The Jets auditioned running back Stevan Ridley last week.

Browns Inquired On Jimmy Garoppolo During Round 1

April 28th, 2017 at 1:20pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Browns once again asked about the availability of Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo during the draft on Thursday night, but New England rebuffed Cleveland’s advances, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).Jimmy Garoppolo (Vertical)

Cleveland, of course, has been interested in acquiring Garoppolo for some time, but the Patriots aren’t inclined to give up the 25-year-old backup. Just last week, Schefter reiterated that a draft-day trade involving Garoppolo was “not happening”, indicating that New England fully intends to hang onto Garoppolo for the 2017 campaign.

At least one report last night also indicated the Browns were attempting to deal for Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins, and Cleveland is still in the market for a signal-caller after failing to land one last night. At present, Cody Kessler is the incumbent Browns’ starter, while the club also employs Brock Osweiler and Kevin Hogan.

If the Browns do want to make a trade at some point, they’ll certainly have the assets to do so. They own seven more picks in 2017, and picked up an extra 2018 first-rounder in a trade with the Texans on Thursday.

Jimmy Garoppolo Trade “Not Happening”

April 23rd, 2017 at 6:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The trade speculation around Jimmy Garoppolo has cooled in the months leading up to the draft. After the Patriots’ backup quarterback was viewed as a high-end trade chip to start this offseason, it appears going into the draft the door has slammed shut.

A draft-weekend trade involving Garoppolo is “not happening,” according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Schefter maintains the franchise hasn’t changed its stance since February on unloading the fourth-year passer.

Garoppolo is entering his contract year and would stand to be one of the most interesting free agents of 2018 if he were to get there, but for 2017, Bill Belichick wants him to return as Tom Brady‘s backup, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. So, if the Patriots are going to pry a first-round pick from a team for a player next weekend, it would likely have to come from a Malcolm Butler deal.

Tom Curran of CSNNE.com said during an appearance on PFT Live it would take two first-round picks for the Patirots to consider parting with the 25-year-old passer. Florio points out that this doesn’t mean the Patriots were never going to trade Garoppolo, but they never received an offer they couldn’t refuse. The Browns were far and away the team that was most associated with Garoppolo interest, but they are not going to trade the No. 1 overall pick for him.

This stands to protect the Patriots against a Brady injury or decline during his age-40 season. The team made impact trades in March to fortify its 2017 roster, acquiring Brandin Cooks, Dwayne Allen and Kony Ealy, while sacrificing its first- and second-round draft picks. But New England looks set to keep Garoppolo as insurance rather than making a similar deal to add an impact player at another position.

The Browns were eyeing Garoppolo as recently as late March, with the organization believed to be gearing up for another run at the fourth-year player. But word came out of Cleveland earlier this week the team was unlikely to swing another deal for a veteran quarterback.

Retaining Garoppolo for 2017 would put the Patriots to a decision next year. The Patriots would, as of now, stand to have Brady set for his age-41 season — and virtually venturing into uncharted waters regarding top-caliber quarterback production at that age — and a 26-year-old backup whom they clearly believe can excel despite limited game work (94 pass attempts). Florio notes the franchise tag could be in order, or the tag-and-trade setup the team used to send Matt Cassel to the Chiefs in 2009. It cost nearly $22MM to use a tag on a quarterback this year, although the Redskins are paying more to Kirk Cousins after previously tagging him, and that number will go up in 2018.

A scenario could exist where both Garoppolo and Cousins are free agents next year, which would be a sharp deviation from the lower-level UFAs populating the quarterback market in recent years. But for now, it appears a fourth year of a Brady-Garoppolo depth chart will take shape in New England.

Browns Unlikely To Trade For Veteran QB

April 19th, 2017 at 12:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Browns don’t envision trading for a veteran quarterback, general manager Sashi Brown told reporters, including Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link), today. Depending on Brown’s definition of the word “veteran,” that could rule out pursuits of the Patriots’ Jimmy Garoppolo and the Bengals’ A.J. McCarron.Jimmy Garoppolo (Vertical)

[RELATED: Browns Likely To Keep No. 1 Overall Pick]

New England reportedly isn’t willing to deal Garoppolo, but that hasn’t stopped the Browns from inquiring. The Patriots’ price for Garoppolo has varied, but Cleveland’s No. 12 pick isn’t going to get a deal done. The Browns aren’t willing to trade the No. 1 overall pick in exchange for a quarterback, so they may simply not match up with the Patriots on a swap.

The Bengals, meanwhile, aren’t actively shopping McCarron, but are willing to trade him (and would even be comfortable shipping him within the AFC North). Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com recently hinted Cincinnati would be open to sending McCarron and the ninth overall pick to Cleveland for pick Nos. 12 and 33. Using Chase Stuart of Football Perspective‘s draft value chart, that deal would imply McCarron is worth the 44th overall selection on his own.

At present, the Browns’ depth chart at quarterback includes Cody Kessler, Kevin Hogan, and Brock Osweiler. Although Osweiler had been expected to be traded or released, Brown said today the ex-Texan will have a chance to compete for the starting QB role, tweets Marc Sessler of NFL.com. Of course, that sentiment could simply be lip service until Cleveland decides how to proceed with Osweiler.

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