Why a Jimmy G trade makes sense for Cleveland and New England
For much of the off-season, the Cleveland Browns have been linked with a potential trade for Patriots back-up quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Cleveland apparently aren’t convinced on any of the quarterback prospects in the upcoming Draft, while Garoppolo impressed while standing in for the suspended Tom Brady at the beginning of last season. Here’s why a trade makes sense for both teams:
Draft Picks
Despite rumours circulating that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick wants to keep Garoppolo, ‘Trader Bill’ has always been open to moving key pieces for the right price. Thanks to the ‘Moneyball’ approach of VP of Football Operations Sashi Brown, Cleveland has two first round and two second round picks in April’s Draft. The Patriots currently don’t hold a first or second rounder after several off-season trades. If the Browns offered a first and a second rounder for Jimmy G, Belichick might give in, especially if the Patriots also get a first rounder from New Orleans in a potential trade involving cornerback Malcolm Butler.
Compatibility
For Cleveland, pursuing Garoppolo is a no-brainer, because he’d be a great fit in head coach Hue Jackson’s offense. Jackson couldn’t deploy his full playbook last season due to injuries on offense, but often runs a no-huddle spread offense with a power running game. The Patriots have run a similar system for years, so Garoppolo would fit Jackson’s vision. While starting in place of Brady last season, Garoppolo ran most of New England’s scheme perfectly. The Browns already have weapons in place with receivers Corey Coleman and Josh Gordon (if he is reinstated) as well as Isaiah Crowell in the backfield. Cleveland also rebuilt their offensive line in free agency, giving Garoppolo great protection if he joins.
Jacoby Brissett
When Garoppolo was injured in Week Two’s game against Miami, Brissett played well in relief. Although offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels ran a paired-down version of his scheme for Brissett, the third-string quarterback outplayed $72 million man Brock Osweiler in a 16–0 win over Houston before suffering a loss against Buffalo. While Brissett isn’t the talent that Garoppolo is, the Patriots would be fine if he had to play a couple of games in relief of Brady, especially with the new pieces on offense and another full off-season with the playbook under his belt. New England could always find a better backup in a potentially loaded 2018 quarterback class.
The Patriot Way
Belichick is the best in the NFL when knowing when to cut ties with a player while getting something in return. Belichick traded star pass rusher Chandler Jones to Arizona and Pro Bowl linebacker Jamie Collins to the Browns for draft picks before either became too expensive to keep. If a player does hit free agency, Belichick will rarely overpay to retain them, preferring instead to draft or trade for cheaper, younger replacements. Belichick let tight end Martellus Bennett leave this off-season after replacing him via a trade for Indy’s Dwayne Allen. With Brady likely to play until at least 2019, Belichick knows that it’ll be too expensive to keep Garoppolo as a back-up when his contract runs out at the end of 2017. Expect Belichick to find a way of getting value for Garoppolo rather than letting him walk out the door.
