After backing up Tom Brady for the past three seasons, Jimmy Garoppolo may be ready to leave the New England Patriots and become a full-time starter for another team.
Mike Lombardi, a Fox Sports analyst and former NFL executive, believes that team is the Cleveland Browns.
“The next quarterback that’ll be the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback perhaps is Jimmy Garoppolo in New England,” Lombardi said Thursday on FS1’s Speak for Yourself, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “I think Cleveland understands, [coach] Hue Jackson specifically understands he needs a quarterback. I think they’ll be very aggressive. I think Jimmy Garoppolo’s on top of their list, and I think they’ll go hard after him.”
Acquiring Garoppolo this offseason would require the Browns to make a trade, as he is under contract through 2017.
“I think the Patriots will decide whether [to trade Garoppolo] based on the deal they’re offered,” Lombardi said, “and Cleveland has enough assets to entice them.”
The Browns have two first-round picks and two second-round picks in next year’s draft.
Garoppolo made two starts this season when Brady served a four-game suspension for Deflategate. He combined to throw 496 yards and four touchdowns in starts against Arizona and Miami.
The Browns have the bargaining chips to make a deal happen. It will be interesting to see how much they value Garoppolo this offseason.
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