Why a Jimmy Garoppolo Reunion With the Patriots Makes Sense
There is no question that the start of the 2020 NFL season has not gone as planned for Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. Seven games into the year, the Pats currently sit with a record of 2-5. They have lost four straight games for the first time since 2002.
There have been a lot of issues with this team that has led them to their current standing. From the front seven to the skill positions, it has been easy to speculate why this team is falling short of expectations. Still, quarterback has to have been the biggest problem for New England.
When the Patriots signed Cam Newton late in this past offseason, the hype train was real, and rightfully so. A former MVP teaming up with the greatest coach in NFL history? How could this not work?
imagine you’re playing a Madden franchise mode in 2015 and you see that Cam Newton signs with the Patriots in 2020. Do you simply quit and start over, or do you throw your whole Xbox in the trash because it’s cursed
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) June 29, 2020
Unfortunately for New England fans, the Newton experiment isn’t going well. It is hard enough to step in and replace Tom Brady, but Newton hasn’t even come close to filling those shoes. Yes, Newton was out for one game due to contracting COVID-19, but he has still underperformed in almost every game this year (minus the Seattle game).
With only 2 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, Newton’s job is anything but safe. Does he still give the Patriots the best chance to win? Probably, but this year seems lost. And with his deal expiring at the end of the year, it appears safe to assume that he will not be having a year two at Gillette Stadium.
So when you start thinking about this upcoming offseason and what New England is going to do at the quarterback position, names start to pop up.
Do they trade up for Trevor Lawrence? Trey Lance? Justin Fields? Does Belichick try and snag someone like Matt Ryan in a deal? All possibilities, but there is one name that stands out amongst the rest: Jimmy Garoppolo.
Hey now.
“Jimmy Garoppolo’s lingering high ankle sprain very well could keep him out for the rest of the season after aggravating the injury Sunday in the 49ers’ loss to the Seattle Seahawks. It also might have put an end to his time in a 49ers jersey. ” https://t.co/R66l86Axhu
— Tony Massarotti (@TonyMassarotti) November 3, 2020
As mentioned in the tweet above, Garoppolo may be done for the year with a high ankle sprain. This means that Garoppolo has only managed to play one full year for the San Francisco 49ers since trading for him back in 2017.
For that reason, along with his pretty big contract, there has been speculation that the 49ers cut ties with the signal caller after this year.
New on @TheNFLWire: The 49ers have waited for Jimmy Garoppolo to be The Guy. What they have to show for it is wasted opportunities for the NFL’s best play-caller in Kyle Shanahan. With Jimmy G out for a while, 2021 should mark the end of the experiment. https://t.co/jsCKPBTb5d
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) November 3, 2020
And if San Fran truly does let Garoppolo walk, it sets up a possible reunion for both Jimmy G. and the Patriots.
This is all just guesswork, but the reuniting of Belichick and Garoppolo makes so much sense. Belichick’s handling of trading the former second-round pick shows his true affinity for the player.
Garopollo was able to learn under the aforementioned Brady, and already knows the Pats system well. He is also still only 29-years-old and will have plenty of quality football left in him. So for those reasons- along with New England’s potential need at QB- there could be a really good chance Garoppolo could return home to the team that originally drafted him out of Eastern Illinois.
– Jarrod Ribaudo (@jarrod_ribaudo)
Featured image courtesy of Twitter / @NFLNetwork