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The Jimmy Garoppolo-to-New-England-Patriots trade speculation won’t ever die, at least not until he takes his first snap in 2021 as a member of the San Francisco 49ers.
Most recently, ESPN personality Mike Greenberg, the host of Get Up, suggested the prime time for the Patriots to make their move for Garoppolo could be on draft day. Greenberg suggests “the moment the 49ers select a quarterback” with the third pick in the NFL Draft, Garoppolo’s trade value will drop considerably.
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As Greenberg suggests, the cost to acquire Garoppolo should be in a range where Bill Belichick feels comfortable making a move. At that point, the Patriots might be able to procure Garoppolo from the 49ers for a second and third-round selection, though Greenberg didn’t specify during his spiel.
ESPN’s Field Yates, who was on the panel for this episode, rebutted and refuted Greenberg’s trade concept.
He suggests the best time to trade Garoppolo has passed and that it is more likely the 49ers go forth with their veteran quarterback as the starter while grooming the player they take with the No. 3 pick.
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Here is a look at the entire segment:
The 49ers’ Plan is Solid
The Niners are in an enviable position. Injuries and COVID-19 reduced a Super Bowl-caliber roster to something much less in 2020, and thus they found themselves with the No. 6 pick in the draft.
They trade up to No. 3 to ensure themselves of getting one of the top quarterbacks available. Yet, they still have Garoppolo under contract. While Garoppolo has struggled to stay healthy during his NFL career, he did help lead the Niners to the Super Bowl in 2019.
If he’s fit in 2021 and the rest of the roster remains reasonably intact from a physical standpoint, you’d have to believe San Francisco will be in the mix again during the upcoming season.
If Garoppolo experiences more injury problems, the Niners are in a position to draft a talented player who could step in for him. While still learning on the job, there is a chance the player (Trey Lance, Justin Fields, or Mac Jones) might be capable of keeping the Niners in contention in relief of Garoppolo.
When you consider the Niners could still trade Garoppolo after this season because he is under contract through 2022, it seems they would be sacrificing leverage and depth before it’s necessary.
Still, people can’t seem to get enough of these rumors.
Operation: Disrespect Cam Newton is Still in Effect
From a Patriots perspective, it’s hard to imagine Newton being more consistently disrespected than he has been over the past six months. Almost the entire Get Up panel spoke of him as an afterthought or some worst-case scenario.
Factually, Newton didn’t have his best year in 2020. However, he was far from the league’s most ineffective player at the position. He managed that despite some pretty adverse situations working against him (receiver talent, a short time to learn a new offense, and a COVID-19 diagnosis).
The disrespect is real, and it will be interesting to see how he responds if given a chance.
Also Read:
- Patriots Recent Signing Could Lead to Major Trade: Report
- NFL Warned Not to Allow Bill Belichick to Draft ‘Stud’ QB Prospect
- All Signs Point to Patriots Making Massive Draft-Day Move
- Bill Belichick Responds to Questions About Robert Kraft’s Criticism
- Patriots Putting Cam Newton in Win-or-Else Situation: Report