Could Browns make playoffs with Jimmy Garoppolo? Isaiah Coulter Jersey Published: Jul 20, 2017 at 01:04 PM Around The NFL Podcast Co-Host One of the great mysteries of the 2017 NFL offseason has been Bill Belichick's plan for 's future. With Garoppolo fans populating the front offices of the quarterback-needy franchises holding early-round draft slots, the stood to if they were willing to part with their premium insurance. As tempting as it might have been to in trade negotiations, New England's bra s ultimately deemed Garoppolo untouchable . Thanks to the reporting of NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, we know Belichick is to 2016 third-round pick in the event of a serious Brady injury. Rapoport later reported that the organization views Garoppolo as a . Considering the minuscule -- -- sample of game film compiled in Garoppolo's 94 NFL pa s attempts, the Pats' hardline stance came as a surprise to many in the football cognoscenti. The qualities Garoppolo has displayed behind closed doors, however, have led to an avalanche of hyperbole from teammates, coaches and at least one former team executive. "I played against him every day in practice. He's all that," one former player recently told CSN New England. "He can make all the throws. He can proce s all the information. He is a gamer. He can slow it down. He Artie Burns Jersey can spin it. "I'm going tell you this, if he had gotten traded to Cleveland, . I really believe that." If that was the lone example of over-the-top Garoppolo praise, we might dismi s it as unwarranted hype. To the contrary, the former Eastern Illinois star has generated an endle s stream of plaudits from those who have seen him practice over the past three years. Belichick paid his No. 2 quarterback the ultimate compliment last November, insisting the transition is " " when Garoppolo stands in for Brady during first-team practice drills. "Certainly we have a good quarterback in Jimmy," Belichick added, "and Jimmy could go out there and run everything that Tom can run. We've seen that." Michael Lombardi, formerly Belichick's right-hand personnel man, insists teammates will line up to testify on behalf of Garoppolo's estimable potential. "I've watched this guy practice and play for too many practices. This guy is a Jesse James Jersey good player," Lombardi raved in early March. "And I'm not shilling for Belichick. ... I'm telling you, he's worth the to hold onto him. If I was in New England, I'd be telling Belichick every day, ' .'" When wideout appeared on early this offseason, he labeled Garoppolo a "stud" with the " " reminiscent of Brett Favre and . Fellow receiver offered similar testimony on . "Jimmy's got a great arm," Hogan offered. "He's an athletic kid, and he plays really well. So when he gets his chance in the NFL, Germain Ifedi Jersey ." Opposing coaches have been no le s effusive in their praise. to a young Tony Romo, coach Bruce Arians said he was "very impre sed" by Brady's understudy in the ' season-opening victory last year. New coach Vance Joseph was Miami's coordinator when Garoppolo di sected his defense with precision in that Week 2 matchup. "He was confident. He made good decisions. He made some awesome throws in that football game," Joseph said in February. "I was against us." Quarterback has long been the most important and Lance Briggs Jersey demanding position in profe sional sports. In the more specialized, pa s-heavy NFL of 2017, the value of a legitimate young franchise signal-caller is . In Garoppolo, Belichick has drafted and developed a pricele s a set offering not only insurance but also the potential for a seamle s transition should Brady finally start losing his . "To me, the answer is simple," one AFC scout told CSN New England. "Bill thinks he's got the next great one." This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be mi sing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an i sue.
