Jimmy Garoppolo remains with the New England Patriots as Tom Brady’s backup, something most believe is a waste of talent. He performed great as an interim starter and most felt he is franchise player material NFL teams could certainly use.
The only problem is that the Patriots were not budging. Tom Brady is turning 40 this August but remains the starter for Bill Belichick, so Garoppolo is expected to continue playing under his shadow with no clue about when he could get that big break.
Garoppolo is franchise player material
Despite playing only four games in the 2016-17 NFL season, Garoppolo made waves.
Though many were cautious about the 25-year-old, he proved most critics wrong and help up the fort magnificently.
When Brady returned from the controversial four-game suspension, critics believed Garoppolo was one of the big names this 2017 NFL free agency. The Cleveland Browns or even the San Francisco 49ers could have made him their main guy but the Pats would hear nothing of it.
Right now, Garoppolo is shaping up to be Belichick’s next option – meaning he could be the next big quarterback for New England. With Brady aging, the Patriots are making sure they don’t end up scrambling for a successor. Obviously, Garoppolo is that guy.
Patience or fame?
While Garoppolo is untouchable, the last say will still be on him.
So far, he has been silent on his career plans though he may be patiently waiting for his chance to call the plays on the field. The problem here is that Brady publicly said he feels he could play until he is 45. Seeing how Brady and the Pats are still hung over their Super Bowl LI triumph those words may have been uttered with plenty of adrenalin on the side.
At his age, Brady may achieve that by playing it smart on the field and taking care of his body. So far he has done that wonderfully though he cannot avoid freak accidents from happening especially when he engages in highly physical encounters in the football field.
Assuming that Brady can last for another five years, where does this leave Garoppolo?
Will his hype and value be the same as it is today? Anything can happen in five years for Garoppolo. He could evolve into a wiser and more talented player or rot away playing backup. For now, he will have to make do with the role given to him. But will the story be the same next season?
A lot will depend on how he and Brady perform. If the Super Bowl LI MVP dazzles once more, there is a chance Garoppolo may heed the call for him to consider starting for another team. Playing behind Brady for one season is excusable but doing that for more years may just pull down his value more than actually getting opportunities to shine.
