It was 2014 when the New England Patriots drafted Jimmy Garoppolo, only to then trade him in 2017. Now here we are in 2021 with the Patriots in a dire situation at the QB position. The question now becomes, should the Patriots bring Jimmy G back to New England for a reunion?
It seems like a return to New England for Garoppolo could be a realistic possibility as Greg Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal reported this past week that he is “far and away their ‘Plan A'” at quarterback for this season and said on his Patriots podcast that “The optimal situation for the Patriots this coming season is Jimmy G coming back here.”
Of course for this to be possible, San Francisco would have to consider trade offers for Garoppolo. Despite the suggestion of general manager John Lynch that Garoppolo could return as quarterback of the 49ers this upcoming season, it still does not seem crazy to think that San Francisco could engage in such talks with teams like New England. Kyle Shanahan certainly would not be against the idea of a change at QB ahead of this season after being upfront about the possibility of an upgrade at the position.
It does not come as any surprise that the Patriots are reportedly interested in their former quarterback but would bringing him back be the right thing to do if they end up having the opportunity to do so? The short answer is yes. You can tell me all you want that he has struggled to stay on the field and I will be the first to say that his health is a big cause for concern. But the fact of the matter is that he could very well be the best option going forward for New England.
Tom Brady winning the Super Bowl has only increased the pressure on Bill Belichick to turn things around as quickly as possible in New England. If we are measuring the success of Brady and Belichick without each other (which many are), of course Brady has a big lead over Belichick, but it is not over and there is still time, although not much, for Belichick to bounce back.
Let’s not forget that Bill Belichick did not want to see Garoppolo leave New England back in 2017 when they traded him. Jimmy G was Bill’s guy and it is likely that Jimmy Garoppolo would be the Patriots QB right now had everything been up to Belichick. The plan was set, or at least we thought.
Jimmy G was lined up to be the next quarterback of New England once Tom Brady decided to retire or take his talents elsewhere. After the way the first season went in the post-Tom Brady era, why not bring back the guy who has already experienced being a part of the organization and being coached by Bill Belichick?
While it is true that much has changed over the years and Garoppolo’s stock is probably not as high as it once was due to the amount of time he has been kept off the field due to injury. The reality is that there will be some risk involved no matter what QB the Patriots go after if they do decide to get a quarterback from another team.
The money also has to be considered and we know that the Patriots are not a team that will pay their quarterback. No matter who it is. Garoppolo was more of an upper-middle-class contract anyway so you have to imagine that the contract would not be an issue for him.
Bill Belichick clearly values Jimmy Garoppolo and Garoppolo gets the ball out quickly. Which is something Belichick likes to see from his quarterback. After all, there is a reason why Belichick wanted to keep Jimmy G first time around. Garoppolo has posted while not amazing, solid numbers as a starter for the 49ers when he has been on the field. He’s 24-8 as a starter for the 49ers.
It could be very possible that a Jimmy G return to the Patriots could be the best option for New England if they want to have the best chance at a rather swift revival after an unforgettable 2020 campaign.