Former Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots executive Mike Lombardi recently said he thinks the two teams will work out a deal for Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
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Lombardi said on FS1 the trade would make sense for both teams, and he told the Akron Beacon Journal that Garoppolo is at the top of Browns' coach Hue Jackson's list.
"The next quarterback that'll be the Cleveland Browns' quarterback perhaps is Jimmy Garoppolo in New England," Lombardi said. "I think Cleveland understands, [coach] Hue Jackson specifically understands he needs a quarterback. I think they'll be very aggressive. I think Jimmy Garoppolo's on top of their list, and I think they'll go hard after him."
It should be noted that Lombardi and Bill Belichick are good friends, and it's possible Belichick is leaking these rumors to help get a deal done.
Good work by Bill Belichick leaking Jimmy G trade rumors. Trying to drive up price when he knows he has 1-year left on deal before FA
— Pete Prisco (@PriscoCBS) December 10, 2016
Garoppolo is under contract through the end of next season. His deal is worth only $820,000 next year, and teams will likely be interested in him this offseason due to his performance in two starts at the beginning of this season. The Browns have two first-round picks and two second-round picks in the 2017 draft, so they have the assets to make a deal for Garoppolo if they want him next season.
(h/t Pro Football Talk)
