The Patriots have Jimmy Garoppolo by the grapes, but that doesn’t mean he can’t at least try and do something about it.
To recap, Jimmy has this year left on his deal and next season could be franchised for about 25 million bucks. I can understand that it’s hard to feel bad for a guy who could make that kind of money for holding a clipboard, but Garoppolo should not be content with his situation.
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He has to try and get out now.
His first move should be to fire Don Yee. It is absurd that he has the same agent as the man he is trying to replace. If push comes to shove, who do you think Yee will give more love to? Brady, of course. Garoppolo needs to hire a barracuda like Drew Rosenhaus who will make some noise on his behalf.
Waiting is not the best move to Jimmy, who could sit behind Brady for the next two years and not start until he is 27. Fortunately for Garoppolo, this game protects its quarterbacks and, with modern medicine, he could start for a decade and play until he’s 37.
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Still, what if things go bad for Jimmy this season? Fair or unfair, Garoppolo is perceived to be the guy to take over for Brady without missing a beat. And this is after only after five or so well-played quarters. What has really sealed Jimmy’s fate is Bill Belichick not wanting to trade him.
When Adam Schefter reports that there is no way the Patriots are trading Garoppolo, an insurmountable level of expectation is placed on the kid. If Bill thinks he is untouchable, this guy must be the next Brady, Montana and Johnny U. combined.
The reality is when Garappolo finally gets a chance to start he is going to have his ups and downs, just like Brady did in 2001. Did you forget about TB12’s four-interception game against the Broncos? When that happens to Mike Giardi’s favorite quarterback, and it will, he is going to get crushed. If he struggles in relief of Brady this or next season for a few games, his stock will go down on the trade and free-agent market.
Jimmy Garappolo’s value was never higher than this past spring and it can only go one way, down. Time for Jimmy to get out of Dodge.
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