Sunday, November 27, 2016

Jimmy Garropolo and the Cleveland Browns

A lot of people think that Bill Belichick just loves Jabobi Brisset, and therefore will be willing to part with Jimmy Garropolo.  I doubt this.  Garropolo is much more accurate.

Still, Brisset is a dual threat athletic freak, and visions of Russell Wilson might dance in Bill's head.  He might also feel that he has time, before Tom Brady retires or is hauled out on a stretcher, to find one last heir apparent.

To me, it appears that Garropolo is that guy, BUT what might the Sith Lord do with, say, the 21st overall draft pick, and perhaps a fourth rounder?

The Browns probably will try to trade for the accurate young veteran.  And Belichick has some age on his team.  He also will have some cap concerns after he presumably re-signs his players.

Jimmy has one year remaining on his rookie contract, with a base salary of less than one million.  Unless Bill expects to replace Tom Brady in 2018, he won't want to pay Garropolo the starting money he will command on the open market, and he will lose him.

This offseason will be his last chance to trade him.  I guess I am personally even more cold-blooded and calculating than Lord Insideous, because I would re-sign Jimmy and try to trade Brady instead.  I would be called insane, and burned in effigy, but I would do it anyway.

So, maybe Sashi can pull it off.  Probably the Eagles first rounder, and a fourth.  Knowing Bill, he trades the first rounder down, and refills his ammunition box.  And probably indeed drafts another quarterback.

Should Sashi do it?  It's scary, because lots of quarterbacks with limited experience have gone to new teams and fallen on their faces.  Would Jimmy have time to throw here?  Will Barnidge still be Barnidge?

Tough call, but I would do it.  Jimmy learned from the best, and ran the same scheme as Brady.  The offensive line will be more mature and healthy next season, and Coleman, Pryor, Duke, and Crow are nothing to sneeze at.  I believe he would succeed.

This concern about his inexperience, and the great supporting cast he has in New England, could well cap his price.  A lower third first round pick and some change could well do it, if Bill is indeed willing to pull the trigger.

One guy on "Ask Mary Kay" suggested trading for Jimmy AND drafting a quarterback first or second overall, and Mary Kay liked the idea.

I don't know.   On the one hand, this is insurance, and maybe the last shot they get at drafting an elite quarterback.  As Mary pointed out, if they find themselves stuck with two of them, they could always trade one.

On the other hand, they would need to re-sign Garropolo to trade him-and otherwise lose him, just as Bill would have, after 2017.  Also, look at the awesome passrusher they would be passing up, or the multiple picks they could have instead.

Pat Kirwan (NFL Radio) continues to irk me.  In commenting about Jamie Collins, Pat says he doesn't get it:

There's no way he'll want to stay there.  If he does, they'll have to pay him a fortune, and where does that fit in with moneyball?

First, not every player is a greedy mercenary devoid of critical thinking skills and addicted to instant gratification.

Mitchell Schwartze was willing to stick around, once he failed to squeeze another drop of blood out of another stone.  Alex Mack might have stayed, had the Browns been willing to overpay him.  Joe Thomas sees a bright future here.  All the other players were willing to stay, once Hue Jackson was hired.

All of them have great confidence in this coaching staff, and are aware of how very young and TALENTED this team is.  There is no reason why Jamie Collins won't feel the same.

Second, this isn't moneyball.  Collins has a value.  He is exceptional and will require an exceptional contract.  If he is worth it, he will be re-signed.  Because you pay a third string offensive lineman the league minimum doesn't mean you don't pay a playmaker the market price.

Look at how Bill Belichick does it!  He PAID Edelman, Gronk, etc and traded Collins so that he could focus on paying two other stud players.  It's not moneyball.  It's common sense!

What does Kirwan think, the Browns intend to STAY 40 million under the cap every year?  He thinks they'll keep letting their best players go because they're cheapskates?

Pat doesn't get it.  I don't get Pat.

I also don't get these Fantasy Gurus pushing Beckham Jr vs the Browns when he's going to be wearing Joe Haden like a sweater.

The Browns will probably lose another one, but it won't be because Pryor never gets the ball deep, or Barnidge never gets two yards of separation.  Just get rid of the damn ball, Josh.  Just get rid of it.

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