The San Francisco 49ers trading up for the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft may have increased the New England Patriots' chances of bringing back quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
By trading up to No. 3, the Niners all but guaranteed they'll be adding one of the top QBs in the draft. They've been adamant about wanting to keep Jimmy G on the roster, but what if the Patriots come calling with a deal they can't refuse?
Curran: Patriots are letting the QB game come to them
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On a brand new Patriots Talk Podcast, Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry discussed how the 49ers' move impacts the Patriots and whether San Francisco dropped any clues of Jimmy G landing in New England being a possibility.
Patriots Talk Podcast: Jimmy G holds the leverage in San Fran. What's that mean for the Patriots? | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
While Kyle Shanahan displayed loyalty to Garoppolo during his press conference, the Niners head coach alluded to the 29-year-old's inability to stay healthy.
"Shanahan is basically laying out something we've hit on time and time again," Curran said. "You've got a player who has played there in 25 of the last 48 regular-season games. When he was healthy, he was good enough to put hands at 10 and 2 and take you to a Super Bowl, but you're spending too much money on a guy who can't stay on the field. ... What we have here is a guy who I said was injury prone before he left [the Patriots]. He had a sore shoulder the entire time he was here. ... It's a massive investment for an injury-prone player."
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Shanahan's remarks about Jimmy G's lack of durability weren't the only comments that suggested the 49ers aren't committed to their signal-caller. He also noted the team "can't go through a year of what's happened two of the last three years" with Garoppolo as the team's starter.
"It's so clear that they don't want him," Perry said. "You've mortgaged your future drafts, you're at the podium talking about how you can't have what he's given you over the course of the last three years, you're saying that he's got untapped potential but I'm sorry, the guy is going to be 30 years old this year. We've seen enough to have an idea of what he is."
Perhaps it wouldn't take as much for the Patriots to bring Garoppolo back as we once thought it would.
Also discussed in the new episode: Should the Patriots pull a 49ers and trade up in the draft? Curran answers quickfire questions on the Jimmy G situation. And what the Pats should do with Stephon Gilmore now that the makeup of their roster has changed drastically.
Check out the latest episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast on the NBC Sports Boston Podcast Network, or watch on YouTube below: