New England Patriots: Josh McCown Praises Jimmy Garoppolo

Quarterback Josh McCown is one recent player to come out and praise New England Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

One of the biggest decisions that the New England Patriots will have to make this offseason is what to do with Jimmy Garoppolo. It appears likely that he will be traded given his projected trade value.

However, it always takes two teams to make a deal. Recently released quarterback Josh McCown of the Cleveland Browns believes that he would be a good fit for his former team. Find a franchise quarterback is a very difficult thing, but McCown recently told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com that Garoppolo could be that guy for the Browns.

"“I’ve seen him on tape because we had a common opponent in Miami,” McCown told Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com Thursday. “He made some high-level throws and did some things that would get you excited about his ability to maybe carry a franchise. That’s definitely on the tape.”"

The praise for Garoppolo continued, as he compared his tools to that of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. Considering these are two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, that is some high praise from McCown.

"“I saw some things in Derek Carr early on in the 2014 draft that reminded me of Aaron Rodgers and I thought ‘this guy is going to be pretty good,”’ McCown said to Cabot. “I see the same things when I watch Jimmy: quick release, strong arm, athletic. I’m not saying he’s Aaron Rodgers, but he’s got some traits in the same mold, and he’s got tremendous upside.”"

One of the benefits that Garoppolo has had is that he has been learning from Tom Brady. Unlike some quarterbacks that are thrown right into the fire, Garoppolo has been learning from arguably the greatest quarterback of all-time. This is certainly a luxury that most don’t get.

"“He’s gained a wealth of experience from playing with a guy like Tom Brady, so I do think there’s a lot of potential there and a chance to be a very special player,” said McCown to Cabot. “I certainly see why people would give him an opportunity to come in and be a franchise guy. You can certainly see that and he’s making these throws at a high level against NFL talent, so that would get me excited about him for sure.”"

It will be interesting to see how the Patriots approach trading Garoppolo. His value appears to be at least a first-round pick, and that means teams believe he is going to be a good starter. With the NFL Draft being a weak class for quarterbacks, the Patriots could be looking at a haul for Garoppolo.

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If Garoppolo does indeed get traded to the Browns, we know that McCown believes that his former team has made the right move. In all likelihood, the Browns will be acquiring a quarterback one way or another this offseason. Garoppolo is likely high on their wish list.