Well, he certainly dominated the headlines, more than many starting quarterbacks, during the 2017 NFL offseason.
Jimmy Garoppolo. You know, the guy who was supposed to be traded to the Cleveland Browns at a million different points in time.
Yeah, Garoppolo is still in New England and still backing up Tom Brady.
But Garoppolo made it clear that he not only wants to play but that he would be open to a contract extension to remain in New England.
“I’d entertain any possibility,” Garoppolo said (h/t ESPN).
“I’m not really thinking about it too much right now. There’s so much going on with OTAs and training camp right around the corner, that’s where my focus is. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there, I guess.”
Garoppolo is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the season and Brady is signed through the 2019 season.
As long as Brady is healthy and willing to play, Garoppolo is going to back him up. But Garoppolo seems to understand his time might not come for a while, even though he has a desire to play.
“Obviously, I want to play. That’s the competitor in me. I think everyone out here wants to play,” Garoppolo said. “We come out here and compete every day for that opportunity and if you go out and earn it, it’s yours. … Nothing is going to be given to you, especially here.”
Garoppolo is playing his cards right. The Patriots may toss a contract offer at him and if he declines, then he may, once again be dominating the trade rumor headlines.
But if a contract extension is not in the cards, Garoppolo will be more available than ever before and in that scenario, the Cleveland Browns, who have been trying to land the 25-year old signal caller, will likely be the first to pick up the phone.
And while it would be financially challenging for New England to offer Garoppolo the type of extension the market indicates he would, he is happy to be where he is.
“I love it (here),” Garoppolo said. “It’s a very fortunate situation to come into a place and get drafted here. They’re good people all around the building, from support staff to the lunch ladies and everything. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s just a good group of people and it rubs off on each other.”