October 11, 2020; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) before the game against the Miami Dolphins at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Patriots fans have had a dream about a reunion with Jimmy Garoppolo, and frankly, it’s time to give it up.
The San Francisco 49ers have tried to maintain their public commitment to Jimmy Garoppolo. After trading up to No. 3 overall in next month’s draft on Friday, they did it again with reports saying the 49ers are not trading him this year.
As the 49ers have seemed sure to part ways with Garoppolo, the New England Patriots have been an easily rumored suitor. They drafted him as Tom Brady’s theoretical successor in 2014, but that plan went away with Brady continuing to play (and perhaps going above Bill Belichick to force a Garoppolo trade). The 49ers acquired him at the 2017 trade deadline.
The Patriots re-signed Cam Newton to another cheap one-year deal, and the draft is loaded with quarterbacks. So adding a second veteran seems unlikely, and that now includes Garoppolom according to Jordan Schultz.
The Patriots won’t be bringing Jimmy Garoppolo back (at least not this year)
After their massive spending spree in free agency, the Patriots have $11.9 million in cap space left (according to Over The Cap). Garoppolo’s cap hit for this year is $26.4 million, with $23.6 million taken on by a team that would trade for him. If the 49ers cut him, which is still possible, that might change things for the Patriots (and some other teams?).
Garoppolo made two starts for the Patriots during Brady’s suspension for his role in “Deflategate”, before being injured. Two of his three full seasons with the 49ers have been shortened significantly by injury, and he was turned into an old-school game manager during a run to the Super Bowl in-between. So the idea of his potential has been met with the reality he’s just not that good, and he’s also injury prone.
The Patriots should be fine at quarterback, one way or another and without Garoppolo in the mix. Fans have to give up the dream of a reunion if they haven’t already.