ESPN’s bold prediction for Patriots this offseason is a huge letdown

As much as JJ Watt would complete their defense, the New England Patriots need to find a new quarterback if they want to contend for a playoff spot once again, as Cam Newton’s inconsistency throwing the football was one of the main reasons the team fell out of the postseason picture without Tom Brady.

While Bill Belichick has been rumored to be gearing up for an aggressive offseason, the Patriots need to follow through on that philosophy by inquiring about every potential quarterback that could change hands in the coming weeks.

Unfortunately for Patriots fans, some well-connected writers seem to think that their big offseason move might be simply bringing back a familiar face.

ESPN’s Mike Reiss claimed that if the Patriots wanted to be “bold” this offseason, they’d fix their quarterback issues by trading for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who was famously drafted by New England.

Considering that his value has never been lower, this would be a puzzling move.

How would Jimmy Garoppolo play with the Patriots?

While Garoppolo did make it to a Super Bowl in 2019, last year showed just how much the fantastic offensive mind of Kyle Shanahan played in that rise to the top. Garoppolo might be an extremely accurate passer, as evidenced by a career 67.5% completion rate, but he has some major red flags.

He’s about to turn 30, and injuries have only allowed him to make more than six starts in a season once, In addition, he can weigh on New England’s cap space like an anchor given his huge contract. When coupled with some struggles against pressure, Garoppolo might not be the highest-ceiling Newton replacement in the world.

Garoppolo could be a solid quarterback for New England, but there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the former Eastern Illinois star, and the fact that backups like CJ Beathard and Nick Mullens out-played him for large stretches certainly didn’t do him any favors. New England would need to surround him with some offensive linemen and electric play-makers in order to make this work.

If the Patriots are confident that Garoppolo is the guy who could turn this passing game around, they should move heaven and earth to outbid some other potential suitors. However, if getting Garoppolo ends up being the zenith of the offseason, New England might miss out on the postseason again.