Jimmy Garoppolo - Pro Football Rumors

NFC Notes: Saints, Brees, Redskins, Shanahan

February 4th, 2017 at 12:44pm CST by Ben Levine

While the Saints have a clear-cut starting quarterback for next season, could the organization still look to draft an eventual replacement for Drew Brees? For what it’s worth, head coach Sean Payton expressed his interest in Clemson’s Deshaun Watson earlier this week.

“There’s something special about him, right?” said Payton (via ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett). “And when you watch the game, it’s always interesting to hear him talk afterward. And I think he appears to have all those things that we’re looking for.”

While Watson could theoretically fall to the Saints at the 11th pick, Payton was adamant that he’s not looking to replace Brees, who finished this past season with 5,208 passing yards and 37 touchdowns.

“That transaction may take place, not in the same year (Brees) is being replaced,” Payton said. “We pay close attention to, ‘Hey, what are the signs?’ And I don’t see any, we don’t see any. We just finished reading our team, and (Brees’) preparation, his attention to detail is amazing. His movement skills … these guys are so much further along in regards to their rest, their recovery, nutrition.”

Let’s dive into some other notes from around the NFC…

While it’s unlikely, Brees acknowledged that he’d still want to keep playing in the event that he’s released by the Saints. “If the Saints came to me right now and said, ‘You’re not our guy right now, we’re releasing you,’ I’d say, ‘I’ve still got football left in me. I’m gonna go play,’” the quarterback said (via Triplett). “I just don’t ever desire to go anywhere else and play for any other team.”
University of Florida defensive backs coach Torrian Gray is leaving the school to join the Redskins coaching staff, reports Robbie Andreu of The Gainesville Sun (via Twitter). Zac Jackson of ProFootballTalk.com reports that Gray will be Washington’s new defensive backs coach. Besides a one-year stint as the Bears defensive backs coach, Gray had been coaching in the NCAA since 2000.
Falcons offensive coordinator (and soon-to-be 49ers head coach) Kyle Shanahan acknowledged that he liked Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo heading into the 2014 draft. “He was a very good thrower,” the former Browns offensive coordinator told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland. “Tough guy, kept his eyes down the field, could get rid of the ball fast. Really liked the person. Had a chance to go out to dinner with him and stuff. He played at Eastern Illinois, and it was a different type of offense where you can’t always evaluate with how quick they get rid of the ball. But I really thought he was a very intelligent, tough player with a good throwing motion.” There will be a handful of teams that will inquire on the 25-year-old, and the 49ers could be one of those squads.

Bears To Make Push For Jimmy Garoppolo

February 2nd, 2017 at 5:16pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bears will make a “strong, concerted” attempt to trade for Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, sources tell Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who adds that Garoppolo is “far and away” the No. 1 priority for Chicago this offseason. Talks could occur later this month at the NFL’s scouting combine, per La Canfora, or possibly even earlier, although a deal can’t officially be finalized until early March.

General manager Ryan Pace and the rest of the Bears front office has put in “extensive” research on Garoppolo and are “very comfortable” with the Eastern Illinois alum, reports La Canfora. Chicago is fully expected to release incumbent quarterback Jay Cutler this offseason, a move that would $14MM, bringing the Bears’ total projected cap cap space to roughly $70MM. As such, Chicago should have more than enough fiscal power to negotiate a long-term extension with Garoppolo, who is only signed through the 2017 campaign.

Rival clubs don’t believe the Bears would be forced to sacrifice their first-round pick (No. 3 overall) in order to acquire Garoppolo, but a package that contains multiple second-round selections could be on the table, per La Canfora. The Patriots are reportedly open to trading Garoppolo in the coming months, and a deal could materialize early in the offseason, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Given that other signal-callers such as Kirk Cousins, Tony Romo, and Cutler could potentially hit the market, New England wants to strike before it loses any amount of leverage, per Cole.

Garoppolo, 25, shined in two starts in relief of a suspended Tom Brady last season, completing 43 of 63 pass attempts for 502 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. That brief run as New England’s starting quarterback represents the bulk of Garoppolo’s NFL career, however, as he’d only thrown 31 total passes in the two seasons prior.

The Bears aren’t the only club expected to target Garoppolo this offseason, as the Browns will also reportedly attempt to land the Patriots signal-caller.

Browns Will Try To Acquire Jimmy Garoppolo

January 31st, 2017 at 6:47pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Browns are on track to enter this year’s draft with the first and 12th picks, two places where they could select their next starting quarterback, but their signal-caller of the future might already be in the NFL. The club has real interest in Patriots backup Jimmy Garoppolo and will attempt to swing a trade for the 25-year-old this offseason, reports Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.

AFC champion New England, which is set under center with the 39-year-old Tom Brady, is reportedly open to moving Garoppolo in the coming months. The Patriots could request at least a first- and fourth-round pick for Garoppolo, whose rookie contract will expire after next season.

For the Browns, acquiring Garoppolo would likely mean parting with the 12th selection, where they were supposedly set to zero in on national championship-winning Clemson QB Deshaun Watson. However, Watson’s decision to skip last week’s Senior Bowl may have hurt his standing with the Browns, who specifically asked him to play.

In addition to surrendering at least one high-round draft choice for Garoppolo, the team that acquires the three-year veteran would have to award him a hefty contract extension, writes Joel Corry of CBS Sports. The likelihood is that Garoppolo would want a deal similar to the four-year, $72MM pact (including $37MM) in guarantees the Texans gave ex-Broncos backup Brock Osweiler in free agency last winter.

While signing Osweiler has blown up in the Texans’ faces, Garoppolo’s limited sample of playing time has been far more impressive than Osweiler’s was with Denver. Garoppolo began the season as New England’s starter because of Brady’s four-game Deflategate ban, and he completed 42 of 59 passes for 496 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in wins over the Cardinals and Dolphins. The second game was Garoppolo’s last start of the year – and perhaps his Pats tenure – as he suffered a sprained AC joint on a hit from Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso and sat out for the remainder of Brady’s suspension.

Even though Garoppolo would likely fetch a quality return via trade this offseason, the Patriots could be inclined to keep him, observes Corry. As great as Brady is, he’ll turn 41 in 2018 – the same year in which Garoppolo is slated to become a free agent – meaning the Patriots could elect to retain the understudy to guard against the elder’s potential decline. That would mean either placing the franchise tag on Garoppolo or handing him a short-term contract worth “top backup money” (as much as $12MM per year, including incentives). It could help the Pats’ cause that their rapport with Garoppolo’s representatives at Yee & Dubin Sports is “excellent,” per Corry.

Patriots Open To Trading Jimmy Garoppolo

January 22nd, 2017 at 12:41pm CST by Rory Parks

Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2017, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (article via Kevin Patra of NFL.com) reports that New England is open to trading the 25-year-old signal-caller this offseason.

This conflicts with a report back in December, wherein one source close to the Patriots indicated that he would be “stunned” if the Pats were to deal Garoppolo. There will certainly be interest in the Eastern Illinois product, who may well be the best quarterback available this offseason, but New England also values having a succession plan in place for Tom Brady, who has shown no signs of slowing down but who will be 40 years old when the 2017 season opens.

We also heard last month that, if the Patriots did trade Garoppolo, they would ask for at least a first- and fourth-round pick in return (which is what the Vikings gave up to acquire Sam Bradford last year). As Rapoport observes, the asking price for Garoppolo is one obstacle to a potential trade, as is his inexperience. He was expected to play the first four games of the 2016 season as a result of Brady’s suspension, but he played in only two because of a shoulder injury. Those two games did go exceedingly well for Garoppolo, who completed 42 of 59 passes for 496 yards and four touchdowns as the Patriots racked up wins over Arizona and Miami, but that small sample size may not be enough for rival teams to part with a first-round selection. Indeed, Rapoport suggests that this year’s Brock Osweiler fiasco may make GMs skittish about investing significant assets into an unproven signal-caller.

Plus, succession plans aside, the Patriots may not be comfortable with Jacoby Brissett serving as their primary backup next season, though they are high on the rookie QB.

Rapoport suggests that this matter may not be resolved quickly. Instead, he expects head coach Bill Belichick to “play poker” with the rest of the league, banking on someone paying up if they are left without a quarterback following free agency or the draft.

Pats To Place High Asking Price On Garoppolo

December 29th, 2016 at 4:10pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Even though quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is only a year from hitting free agency, the Patriots are going to place a high asking price on Tom Brady‘s backup if they shop him during the offseason. In order to move the 25-year-old Garoppolo, New England is likely to want at least a first- and fourth-round pick in return, ESPN’s Adam Schefter told WEEI on Wednesday.

In the latest high-profile trade involving a signal-caller, the Vikings sent a first- and fourth-rounder to the Eagles for Sam Bradford last September. Bradford came with two years of team control, but his recent track record at the time wasn’t as impressive as Garoppolo’s work early this season.

In two games filling in for a suspended Brady, Garoppolo completed 42 of 59 passes for 496 yards and four touchdowns as the Patriots racked up wins over Arizona and Miami. The plan was for Garoppolo to start all four games of Brady’s season-opening Deflategate ban, but that changed when Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso knocked the 2014 second-rounder out with a shoulder injury in Week 2.

With Brady entrenched under center in New England, it’s possible Garoppolo’s Week 2 start will go down as his last with the organization. While it would ideal for the Patriots to retain Garoppolo for the long haul as the successor to Brady, that looks unrealistic. The soon-to-be 40-year-old Brady hasn’t waned in 2016 from his typical MVP-level form and is under Patriots control through the 2019 campaign. So is third-stringer Jacoby Brissett, with whom the Pats went 1-1 when Brady and Garoppolo were unavailable in Weeks 3 and 4.

With the Redskins’ Kirk Cousins likely a poor bet to become a free agent, Garoppolo could end up as the top potential long-term solution available at QB in the offseason. Speculatively, teams like the Browns, Bears, 49ers, Texans, Jaguars, Bills and Jets could be among those to chase Garoppolo, which might lead to a bidding war and enable the Pats to receive their desired compensation. New England could otherwise keep the ex-Eastern Illinois star at an $820K salary in 2017 and, should Garoppolo sign elsewhere after next season, potentially receive a compensatory third-rounder in the 2019 draft.

QB Notes: Garoppolo, Glennon, Bortles

December 23rd, 2016 at 6:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jimmy Garoppolo‘s name figures to come up frequently this offseason as a potential quarterback target, but Adam Schefter of ESPN.com spoke with a source close to the Patriots who would be “stunned” if New England moved its current backup. Schefter reiterates the interest from other teams in the soon-to-be contract-year quarterback will be there, but the desire for the franchise to build in a succession plan from Tom Brady to his current backup will be as well.

Garoppolo played well during his two-plus-week audition before an injury prevented the third-year player from suiting up against the Bills, and although Brady has delivered his usual top-flight work, he will turn 40 during training camp next year. Brady is under contract through 2019, however.

This week’s activation of rookie Jacoby Brissett makes this season the first time the Pats have carried three quarterbacks since 2011 (Brady, Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett), and it leads Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com to wonder if Brissett’s additional reps are setting the stage for him to be Brady’s backup next season after a Garoppolo trade.

Here’s more regarding quarterbacks, beginning with another who figures to draw significant interest this offseason.

While Tony Romo, Jay Cutler and Colin Kaepernick figure to be available this offseason, Schefter notes the younger trio of Garoppolo, Mike Glennon and A.J. McCarron will draw more interest. Both Glennon and McCarron wound up in trade rumors this offseason, with nothing substantial materializing for the current Buccaneers and Bengals’ backups. But Glennon will be a UFA at season’s end, and Schefter pegs his price range at $13-$15MM AAV. Although, that’s somewhat of an unpopulated middle ground between franchise-level starters and the highest-paid backups. Glennon has a larger sample size to judge than Brock Osweiler did, making 18 starts between 2013-14 pre-Jameis Winston. He went 5-13 in those games and finished both seasons with completion percentages under 60. However, the 27-year-old does have 30 touchdown passes compared to 15 interceptions, and Schefter could see Glennon’s price drifting onto the low-end franchise tier if a number of teams pursue him.
The view of Blake Bortles is better in Jacksonville than it is in other NFL cities, Schefter writes, with some around the league scoffing at the third-year quarterback’s skills. The Jaguars‘ next coach will not be forced to start Bortles, who has regressed in his third season as the Jags have sunk to 2-12. But if the Jags aren’t able to land one of the aforementioned young QBs, Schefter notes they might be better off picking up his fifth-year option and attempting to see if a new staff can develop him better.
Browns backup Josh McCown is contemplating retirement. He will be 38 next season in the final year of his Cleveland contract.
The Broncos are giving strong consideration to keeping Trevor Siemian as their starter in 2017.

AFC East Notes: Garoppolo, Jets, Workouts

December 10th, 2016 at 9:39am CST by Ben Levine

Where will Jimmy Garoppolo be playing next season? Well, if you ask former Browns and Patriots executive Mike Lombardi, he believes the young quarterback will be playing in Cleveland.

“The next quarterback that’ll be the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback perhaps is Jimmy Garoppolo in New England,” Lombardi said on FS1’s Speak for Yourself (via Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com). “I think Cleveland understands, [coach] Hue Jackson specifically understands he needs a quarterback. I think they’ll be very aggressive. I think Jimmy Garoppolo’s on top of their list, and I think they’ll go hard after him.”

The Browns are stocked with picks for the upcoming draft, including a pair of firsts and a pair of second-rounders. Furthermore, the two teams have already made a pair of trades this year in the Barkevious Mingo deal and the Jamie Collins deal.

Assuming the Browns aren’t going to pursue some of the available veteran options, Garoppolo could be the most attractive option. In two full games this season, the former second-rounder completed 70-percent of his passes for 496 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. The 25-year-old will be entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2017.

Let’s check out some more notes out of the AFC East…

Ben Volin of The Boston Globe suggests (via Twitter) another suitor for Garoppolo: the Bears. Volin tweets that Chicago desperately wants a young quarterback, and he also notes that the Patriots signal-caller is from Chicago and went to Eastern Illinois. Volin also suggests the 49ers and Cardinals as potential landing spots.
ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini details how the Jets can get under the cap and clear about $50MM worth of space. In a vacuum, the team could cut or trade several notable veterans to get to that threshold, including Brandon Marshall, Nick Mangold, David Harris, Ryan Clady, Breno Giacomini, and Sheldon Richardson (trade). Of course, as Cimini notes, cutting that many veterans would create some giant holes on the roster.
Wideout Quincy McDuffie worked out for the Jets yesterday, tweets agent Brett Tessler. McDuffie spent the 2016 season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and Tessler notes that the speedy wideout is widely regarded as the best return man in the CFL.

Browns Notes: Greco, RG3, McCown

November 27th, 2016 at 5:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Browns right guard John Greco injured his foot during the third quarter of today’s loss to the Giants. The 31-year-old was taken to the locker room and didn’t return to the contest. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com tweets that Greco was spotted leaving the stadium accompanied by crutches and a right boot.

If Greco is forced to miss time, it’d be another hit to an injury-riddled Browns offensive line. The team is already without guard Joel Bitonio and center Austin Reiter, while Cameron Erving has also missed time with an injury.

Let’s take a look at some other notes out of Cleveland…

The Browns want to see what they have in Robert Griffin III. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport noted on NFL GameDay Morning that the organization wants to see several more starts from the signal-caller (via Conor Orr of NFL.com). Of course, that all depends on whether rookie quarterback Cody Kessler is unable to return from his concussion. Griffin was placed on the injured reserve following the Browns’ season-opener, and the quarterback ended up returning to practice earlier this week.
ESPN.com’s Tony Grossi wonders if quarterback Josh McCown may have made his final start with the Browns today. The 37-year-old is now 1-10 as a starter over the past two seasons, including today’s loss to the Giants. The veteran is owed $3.625MM next season, and he’s due a $750K roster bonus in March.
If the Patriots were willing to part with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, Cabot believes he’d be a great addition to the Browns. Of course, that wouldn’t necessarily prevent the organization from taking a quarterback in the draft. Cabot says the team could still target North Carolina signal-caller Mitch Trubisky regardless of whether they acquire a quarterback via trade or free agency.

Jacoby Brissett To Start For Patriots

October 2nd, 2016 at 9:41am CST by Dallas Robinson

Rookie Jacoby Brissett will start at quarterback for the Patriots today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Brissett and New England will face the Bills as the club seeks to jump out to a 4-0 start.

Jimmy Garoppolo, meanwhile, will be inactive today as he continues to deal with an AC joint injury, tweets Schefter. The third-year pro required a shot to practice last week, and was limited to roughly 100 throws per day (as opposed to the typical gameday total of 200 or so), per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). Pain management and strength had been the two obstacles to a Garopppolo start, reports Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link), and it’s the latter that will keep Garoppolo on the sidelines.

After Garoppolo was taken out by Kiko Alonso‘s hit during a win over the Dolphins, Brissett was put into a game for the first time in his NFL career. The third-round rookie got the job done, completing 6-of-9 passes as he guided New England the rest of the way, and then led the Patriots to a 27-0 victory over the Texans in Week 3. Brissett, however, suffered a thumb injury in the rout and was listed as questionable for today’s contest.

Given that New England doesn’t have another quarterback on its roster, wide receiver Julian Edelman will presumably serve as the backup signal-caller once again. Tom Brady, of course, will return from suspension and start against the Browns in Week 5.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Patriots Unsure Which QB Will Start Vs. Bills

October 1st, 2016 at 9:26pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Patriots are still uncertain as to which quarterback — Jimmy Garoppolo or Jacoby Brissett — will start Sunday’s game against the Bills tomorrow, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. New England will likely wait to see how each signal-caller fares in pre-game warmups before making a final decision.

Garoppolo suffered a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder in the Patriots’ 31-24 win over Miami in Week 2. After Garoppolo was taken out by Kiko Alonso‘s hit, Brissett was put into game for the first time in his NFL career. The third-round rookie got the job done, completing 6-of-9 passes as he guided New England the rest of the way, and then led the Patriots to a 27-0 victory over the Texans in Week 3. Brissett, however, suffered a thumb injury in the rout and is questionable for tomorrow’s AFC East matchup.

Before succumbing to his injury, the 24-year-old Garoppolo had been excellent, completing 42-of-60 passes for 498 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in wins over the Cardinals and Dolphins. At least one report suggested that the Patriots were pressuring Garoppolo to quickly return to the field — despite the fact that he reportedly couldn’t lift his arm — and he’d presumably get the start against Buffalo if healthy. Tom Brady, of course, will return in Week 5 to start against the Browns.

New England has not made any plans to sign a free agent quarterback, suggesting that the club is confident that at least one of Garoppolo or Brissett will be able to go Sunday. T.J. Yates, formerly of the Texans and Falcons, has been called the Patriots’ “free agent of choice” if they had decided to bring in an outside option.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.