NFL Trade Machine: Jimmy Garoppolo for DeMarco Murray
When the New England Patriots drafted Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round of the 2014 draft, he was expected to be the next heir-apparent to Tom Brady. Ryan Mallett fell out of favor and was shipped out of Fox Borough.
Issue with the idea at this point is that Tom Brady is clearly not ready to retire. He may not even be ready when Garoppolo’s rookie contract comes up in two years. Brady was able to once again carry an injury-riddled team to the AFC Championship and nearly to their second Super Bowl.
Like with Mallett, the Patriots should get value for Garoppolo when they can and not fear the risk of losing him in a couple years.
Bring in the Philadelphia Eagles. Without a franchise-worthy quarterback since Donovan McNabb was traded on Easter to the Redskins, the Eagles have used retreads (Vick, Bradford, Sanchez) and tried out some lackluster draft picks (Foles, Barkley) with no luck. With their current cap situation, they stand to lose Bradford, who’s agent Tom Condon fights for every penny.
With no second round pick (thanks to Chip Kelly), the Eagles are left with holes at quarterback, offensive line, wide receiver, safety, and cornerback.
They also carry three starting running backs, DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews, and Darren Sproles. Murray was their big free agent fish from 2015, but he failed to perform in Chip Kelly’s offense. While Kelly is gone, the relationship between Murray, the organization, and the fan base is not a strong one.
DeMarco Murray’s contract may be large, but it is easily escapable. After the 2016 season a team can cut Murray and save four million dollars on their cap heading into 2017. After that, they have even more relief, saving seven and eight million dollars over the concurrent years of his contract.
In this trade, the Eagles get a quarterback whom new head coach Doug Pederson can mold into a quality starter. The Patriots get a running back who can fit their system and replace free agent LeGarrett Blount. It’s a win-win for two teams looking for help on offense. The Patriots can always find another Brady replacement when the time is right. There are always Mallett/Garoppolo type guys in the NFL draft.
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The Eagles are also able to keep their draft picks for this year, which is a big key. Because of Deflate Gate, the Patriots can’t own a first round pick. The Eagles sending one would be worthless. Philly also doesn’t own a second this year, so that kind of value is completely out of the question. General Manager Howie Roseman is able to retain this year’s large number of draft picks and build around a young quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo for at least the next two years.