Patriots: NFL insider thinks Jimmy Garoppolo will be team’s QB in 2021
By Jerry Trotta
An NFL insider believes Jimmy Garoppolo will be the Patriots’ starting quarterback next season.
At this point, it’s become abundantly clear that the New England Patriots will be in the market for a quarterback this offseason. The latest buzz suggests they’ve already decided to move off of starter Cam Newton, and rightfully so, considering he averaged a lousy 177.1 passing yards per game to go with just 7.2 yards per attempt and eight touchdowns to 10 interceptions.
There are some rumors indicating that Newton could return to the Patriots if they’re unable to land anybody better, but based on his lackluster performance this season, you’d have to think re-signing him is their contingency plan only if all else fails.
Well, it just so happens that an NFL insider, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, already has a strong feeling about who the Patriots will land this offseason. According to his gut, they will re-acquire Jimmy Garoppolo from the 49ers.
On @TheGregHillShow, Mike Florio was asked for his prediction on who is the Patriots' QB in 2021: "I think they are going to end up with Jimmy Garoppolo. That's my gut-feeling right now."
— Ryan Hannable (@RyanHannable) January 7, 2021
It’s worth noting that Florio didn’t say how the Patriots would get Garoppolo, being that he’s under contract for the next two seasons. However, his current contract accounts for just $2.8 million (!) in dead cap next year compared to the whopping $28 million in dead money this season, meaning San Francisco could cut him without breaking a sweat.
When you consider his injury history and how shaky he looked under center in six games this season — his 92.4 passer rating would have ranked 21st in the league had he met the minimal requirement for pass attempts– they might look for alternative options (most likely via trade) in the offseason.
The Patriots are slated with the No. 15 overall pick in this year’s draft, but you have to think that most of the consensus top prospects, assuming they don’t trade down, will most likely be off the board by the time it’s their turn to pick.
“This is where I want to be, and I love it here” — #49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) January 4, 2021
Not to mention that Bill Belichick is getting up there in age (68) and he might not have the patience to forfeit competing for a championship for two or three more years in the name of developing a young quarterback.
Taking all of that into account, we can definitely picture a scenario that sees Garoppolo ending up back with the Patriots, the team that drafted him in the second round back in 2014 — he’s more than familiar with their monstrous playbook, which, as Newton proved this season, is incredibly difficult to comprehend in just one offseason.
The bottom line? We would confidently assert that the positives regarding a Garoppolo reunion far outweigh the negatives.
