It took longer than other teams but the Chicago Bears finally have a major quarterback rumor on their hands. They've become the latest team attached in trade speculation to New England Patriots backup Jimmy Garoppolo. Jason La Canfora revealed in a lengthy CBS Sports piece that the team has been doing their homework on the 25-year old. It's felt they will try to make a play for him before the draft over the next couple months.
https://twitter.com/ErikLambert1/status/827269341003468801
There is still so much to sort through and it's not clear if this rumor is true. All that can be said at this point is it makes plenty of sense. Garoppolo is experienced, so John Fox wouldn't have to start a rookie. He's also young, so Ryan Pace would be able to build around him. An Illinois-native, he grew up watching the Bears in Arlington Heights and made a name for himself at Eastern Illinois University.
To top it off he's been groomed by some of the best coaching minds in the game. If he's not ready now, he'll never be ready. The only question left is what will it cost to get him?
Initial rumors indicated the Patriots will be seeking a first round pick and maybe an extra mid rounder as well. Since then some anonymous executives around the league have been quoted stating they feel he's worth closer to a second or even third rounder. Given the Patriots gave up a late second to get him back in 2014, odds are they'd like a higher return for him.
Perhaps the best way to help gauge what Garoppolo might fetch is to compare with previous trades for former backup quarterbacks. This will involve what pick they were originally drafted with, how old they were at the time of the trade and how many games they'd started.
Brett Favre (Green Bay Packers)
- Former 2nd round pick
- 23-years old
- 0 games started
- Compensation: 19th overall pick
Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle Seahawks)
- Former 6th round pick
- 26-years old
- 0 games started
- Compensation: Swap 1st rounders (10th for 17th) and a 3rd rounder
Kevin Kolb (Arizona Cardinals)
- Former 2nd round pick
- 27-years old
- 7 games started
- Compensation: CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2nd rounder
Charlie Whitehurst (Seattle Seahawks)
- Former 3rd round pick
- 28-years old
- 0 games started
- Compensation: Swap 2nd rounders (40th for 60th) and 3rd rounder
Matt Cassel (Kansas City Chiefs)
- Former 7th rounder
- 27-years old
- 15 games started
- Compensation: 2nd round pick
Matt Schaub (Houston Texans)
- Former 3rd round pick
- 26-years old
- 2 games started
- Compensation: Swap 1st rounders (8th for 10th) and two 2nd rounders
Rob Johnson (Buffalo Bills)
- Former 4th round pick
- 25-years old
- 1 game started
- Compensation: 1st rounder and 4th rounder
Jimmy Garoppolo feels the tug of home. It’s usually vocalized by his childhood friends from Arlington Heights, not satisfied with his status as the Patriots’ backup quarterback. They ask him about starting for the Bears. “All the time,” he said.Then there is the fact the Bears and Patriots have already done business over the past couple years. New England traded for both linebacker Jon Bostic and tight end Martellus Bennett from Chicago. So the two sides have familiarity through communication, and Garoppolo already got a chance to meet with GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox during joint team practices this past preseason. The Bears have the money to hand him a new contract, especially once they part ways with Jay Cutler. At that point it's a matter of draft compensation. Odds are it won't involve the #3 pick this year. None of the trades mentioned earlier went into the top five range. More likely it will be somewhere in the vicinity of two second round choices. Though expensive, the saying doesn't change. If Pace thinks he's getting this team a franchise quarterback, no price is too steep.







