Wanted: Patriots future franchise quarterback.
Barring a trade to bring Jimmy Garoppolo back to New England, which seems very much in the realm of possibility, the quarterback position remains the overwhelming priority for Bill Belichick & Co.
It’s the biggest question hovering over the Patriots’ draft.
As it is, the Patriots are already behind the proverbial eight-ball when it comes to the most important position in the sport. That’s what makes this draft so significant.
Usually, Belichick is a year or two ahead when it comes to drafting positions of need. If a starter is nearing an age of decline, Belichick already has a replacement ready to go in the system.
Only now, heading into season two without Tom Brady, the Patriots are still fishing around for his replacement. They have yet to make any significant progress when it comes to finding Brady’s successor.
That’s why there’s so much interest and intrigue in what happens over the course of the next few days. Patriots fans are on the edge of their seats waiting in anticipation for the next great quarterback to arrive.
How aggressive will Belichick be? More to the point, how aggressive should he be?
Answer: Extremely.
And that applies to either landing Garoppolo, or getting the right guy in the draft if Jimmy G doesn’t pan out.
Belichick has never had to think about managing the board with a quarterback in mind, thanks to having Brady. But it’s different now.
Heading into the 2021 season, Cam Newton, the stopgap last year, remains the stopgap, unless Jarrett Stidham beats him out at training camp. At least, that’s the scenario if nothing happens.
It’s not a championship scenario.
Even with an improved Newton, and an improved cast, he’s not the long-term answer. Moreover, the lack of confidence shown in Stidham last season doesn’t bode well for him being the next guy, either.
As for Jimmy G, he’s certainly a better option than Newton, and theoretically takes pressure off the Patriots to draft the next guy. Having Garoppolo also buys time for a prospect to develop whenever the Patriots do select a quarterback, be it this year, or down the road. So make the deal!
Of course, it’s not that simple.
There are complications with bringing Garoppolo back. The 49ers are understandably trying to get the best possible deal before unloading their asset.
The Patriots, on the other hand, do not want to hand over more than the second-round pick they received when dealing him to San Francisco four years ago. They’re waiting for the price to drop.
And yet, for the Patriots, it’s bad business to play a waiting game, trying to get the best deal, and count on someone who might not be there, especially at quarterback.
All of which brings us back to the point: if the quarterback position is lacking, how good can the Patriots truly be, even with all the upgrades in free agency?
Why spend a league-record $160 million in guaranteed money to have it all go to waste, because you shortchanged the quarterback position?
If Belichick is as infatuated with Jimmy G as some reports lead you to believe, then he just needs to make it happen. Once again, make the deal!
The 49ers can wait until August before dealing or releasing Garoppolo if they so choose. They’ve already paid out all the guaranteed money in the contract. They don’t have to start paying him the $25.5 million he’s owed in salary and bonuses until the start of the season.
Waiting out the 49ers is not optimal, even if Jimmy G knows the Patriots offense and can jump right in. The Pats should want Garoppolo right now, so he can start the process of getting on the same page with his receivers.
Then there’s Garoppolo’s contract, another sticking point.
The Patriots don’t want that freight any more than the 49ers do. But who thinks Jimmy G is readily going to give the Patriots a break and restructure his deal like Trent Brown did? He also has a no-trade clause.
That’s just one more snag that has to get ironed out. It’s certainly doable.
And I say do it sooner rather than later. If the Patriots really want Jimmy G, and think he’s the answer, just pay him the money or meet him halfway and get him on board.
That would allow the Patriots the freedom to do as they wish at No. 15, whether it’s landing a top defensive player (South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn?), or even a receiver (Alabama wideout Jaylen Waddle?).
Because if Jimmy G is a no-go, they’re most likely going to have to make a move in the first round to land the preferred quarterback, whether it’s Ohio State’s Justin Fields, or someone else.
If the Patriots know they aren’t going to bend a little to get Garoppolo, the focal point of the draft has to be quarterback.
That’s the end game.
Although, with Belichick, it’s hard to know. Does he value the position as much as the current game dictates? Does he even like any of the top QB prospects?
Patriots owner Robert Kraft sure sounded like he was on the quarterback train. He didn’t mince words when speaking with the media a few weeks back. Understandably, after all the money he shelled out in free agency, he’s very interested to see what Belichick’s long-term plan is at the position.
“We all know long-term that we have to find a way, either Jarrett Stidham or someone new we bring in, but this isn’t something where you get algebraic formulas,” said Kraft. “Think of all the personnel whizzes who passed for six rounds on Tom Brady in 2000. No one knows what’s going to happen, so we have to balance everything.
“Look, the quarterback is the most important position on the team. We know that,” Kraft went on. “He touches the ball over 70 times (per game), so one way or another we have to get that position solidified.”
Translation: He’s not comfortable with the current arrangement.
While there will be an early run of quarterbacks selected, one of the top five prospects could be in shouting distance at No. 15, where the Patriots sit.
The way it looks, two from this group — Fields, Mac Jones, or Trey Lance — could be in their sights.
Now, the point isn’t taking a quarterback just to take a quarterback. But if there’s someone that appeals to them as that future star, whether it’s one of the top prospects, or someone in the second tier, be it Kyle Trask, Kellen Mond, or Davis Mills, go get him!
At this point, the name doesn’t matter be it Jimmy G or someone else. Just get the quarterback Belichick and Josh McDaniels want to lead the Patriots into the future, so that future can arrive.
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April 29, 2021 at 01:34AM
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