One of the biggest questions heading into this offseason was whether the Patriots will trade quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo before he enters his fourth NFL season.
If that trade is going to happen, the next week is going to be a crucial negotiating period. At the moment, though, it looks like it is going to be a quiet one.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Patriots are not expected to trade Garoppolo. Schefter’s colleague Ed Werder issued a similar report in mid-February.
A trade may not be expected, but that doesn’t preclude teams from calling the Patriots in the coming days in an effort to get them to change their mind. There could be an offer that makes New England reconsider and the most effective way to chum the waters to see if one pops up is by letting it be known that a deal isn’t expected.
The Patriots may also be content to just hold onto Garoppolo through the final year of his rookie deal under any circumstances and then deal with whatever might come in the 2018 offseason when they have a full picture of where the team and quarterback Tom Brady stand at that point.