The first four weeks of the 2016 season offered Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo a big opportunity to set up his future as a starter in the NFL.
The results were a mixed bag. Garoppolo played very well for six quarters, but a right shoulder injury against the Dolphins in Week Two kept him from playing for the rest of Tom Brady’s suspension. Garoppolo felt that his performance proved that he can do the job and hopes that there’s more opportunities to come as a result.
“We had a good thing going there for a while ... The first two games went really well, we were rolling,” Garoppolo said, via ESPN.com. “But I always tell myself ‘everything happens for a reason.’ There was a reason that happened, and hopefully good things will come from it.”
As far as sample sizes go, Garoppolo going 42-of-60 with 496 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions is obviously on the small side but a big one may not be a prerequisite in a league that’s constantly searching for starting quarterbacks. That’s not expected to be a position the Patriots are in with Tom Brady under contract, which may mean future good things will come in another uniform.
The Patriots will almost certainly be getting offers for his services in the offseason, leaving a question of whether they’ll be big enough to provide Garoppolo another chance to start.