Since the Patriots big Super Bowl win, the big question in regards to what’s next has been will the Patriots trade Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason. The Patriots have Jimmy G. under control for his fourth season. His value is higher than it has ever been and, perhaps, higher than it will be. As we all know, Tom Brady will be the Patriots starting quarterback to start the 2017 season. The majority of Patriots in the NFL out the door. Why? Well, it’s simple. Patriots Nation views Tom Brady as Superman. He’s not human. If he says he wants to play until he’s 45, he’s going to play until he’s 45 and he’s probably going sustain his level of play throughout that period. Age 40 means nothing to these fans because it’s Tom Brady. If it were any other player, turning 40 would be a big deal.
Back to Garoppolo. There have been rumors out there that multiple teams are making a push to trade for this 25 year old potential Pro Bowler. The Browns and the Bears seem to be the most common teams mentioned. The Browns own the #1 and #12 picks in this year’s draft. #1 for Garoppolo would be a big stretch. #12 seems like it would make sense strictly from a value standpoint. So, the Pats should trade Jimmy G. and get a potential stud early in the first round because we already have Tom Brady, right?!
Wrong.
Entering this season, the Patriots are the favorites to win the Super Bowl again. A lot of that hinges on Tom Brady. He’s playing at an elite level. There’s a good chance that he’ll do it again. With that said, the end of the road is on the horizon for Brady. It could be two or three years from now. It could be this year. And when it happens, do you really think the Patriots are ready to fade off into the sunset with Brady in terms of contending for championships? Think again. The Patriots know what they have in Garoppolo and all accounts are that they think he has elite potential.
If something were to happen to Tom Brady this year, Garoppolo would step in. What would the expectations be? Well, the Patriots would still win the AFC East. They would still likely host playoff games. They would have a very good chance at getting to the Super Bowl again. What if they didn’t have Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett with the starter? Forget about the Super Bowl. Winning the AFC East? Unlikely. The door would be closed on this season and if Brady were to have a serious injury at age 40, it would mean the door would be closed on the Patriots as an elite team as well. Bill Belichick knows this.
The Patriots are not going base their entire season on one player. Especially when that player is going to be 40 years old. They want depth. They want options.
And what an option they have waiting in the wings in Jimmy Garoppolo if they need him.