Report: Patriots not pursuing Garoppolo
A reunion between the New England Patriots and Jimmy Garoppolo doesn't appear to be in the cards.
The Patriots are not pursuing their former quarterback following the San Francisco 49ers' decision to trade up for the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 draft, sources told Jordan Schultz of ESPN.
The 49ers are widely expected to use the No. 3 pick on one of the three top quarterbacks after Trevor Lawrence - Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, and Trey Lance - depending on who is available following the New York Jets' selection at No. 2.
Despite the blockbuster deal to move up, San Francisco reportedly doesn't plan to trade Garoppolo.
"Jimmy is here to stay," a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. "He's our guy this season."
But speculation has continued regarding Garoppolo's future with the NFC West team. The 49ers can save $23.6 million in cap space by trading or releasing their starting quarterback. The 29-year-old could have some influence on his future due to his no-trade clause.
The Patriots are arguably the most logical destination for Garoppolo. New England head coach Bill Belichick was reportedly reluctant to trade his then-backup passer before ultimately sending him to the 49ers in 2018 for a second-round pick.
The AFC East club re-signed Cam Newton to another one-year deal this offseason, but the former NFL MVP is coming off the worst season of his career.