BradyJimmyG.jpg
New England Patriots quarterbacks Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo run out of the tunnel for a 2015 regular season game.
(AP Photo)
Here's a hypothetical: Colin Kaepernick comes to his senses, decides that he wouldn't mind making an $11.9 million salary while playing in a system perfectly suited for his skill set, leaving the Broncos in a desperate quarterback situation.
Does Denver, holding the final pick of the first round in next month's draft, offer it up to the Patriots for Jimmy Garoppolo?
Do the Rams, stuck in a rut at quarterback, make an offer? They hold the No. 43 and 45 overall picks in the 2016 draft.
And how about San Francisco? If Kaepernick is indeed traded to Denver, does Chip Kelly inquire about Garoppolo? He'd be an ideal fit in Kelly's offense.
Point is, a third of the league is willing to overpay for a quarterback -- even an unproven one -- because an unproven quarterback sounds a hell of a lot better than one that has proven to stink.
There will be suitors for Garoppolo, and the Patriots will likely move him before he hits free agency in 2018. It's just a matter of when exactly they choose to do it.
If not for the ongoing Deflategate drama, the Pats would probably have no reservations about trading Garoppolo before this month's draft. The dilemma: Anyone present for the March 3 Deflategate hearing in Manhattan will acknowledge that the possibility of a four-game suspension for Tom Brady still exists. And if the three-judge panel rules in favor of the NFL, it might not do so until after the NFL Draft.
This puts the Pats in a tough spot. They may need Garoppolo, or a capable backup, for a quarter of the 2016 season.
Brady recently signed a contract extension through 2019. He showed zero signs of slowing down at age 38, and not until the entire offense was wiped out by injury did his 2015 Patriots face the reality of a competitive game. Prior to the extension, both Brady and Garoppolo were due to become free agents after the 2017 season, giving Bill Belichick the choice between a 40-year-old Brady and a 26-year-old Garoppolo. Can't keep both. In extending Brady, it seems the choice has been made.
Although there is one alternate ending: The Pats hold on to Garoppolo, Brady sees his four-game suspension reinstated, Garoppolo is awesome for four games, and the Pats decide to trade Brady next offseason.
And one more: The Pats don't trade either in the 2017 offseason, opting to keep Garoppolo as he enters his contract year. Then, at the end of the 2017 season, they can make a decision -- re-up Garoppolo and trade Brady or lose Garoppolo in free agency for nothing.
There are many factors at work here. Mark Daniels of The Providence Journal joined me to sort the whole situation out. Give us a listen below.
