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On Wednesday evening an unexpected report popped up from Dale Arnold, a New England sportscaster, that indirectly affects the NFL Draft plans of the Chicago Bears.
What I’ve been told, by a reliable source —- @Patriots are working on a new contract for Jimmy G that could lead to a deal with @49ers. Same source who correctly told me Tom Brady had signed with @Buccaneers. Doesn’t mean it will get done, but they’re working on it.
— Dale Arnold (@DaleEArnold) April 28, 2021
The New England Patriots, who are currently slated to draft at 15th overall, have been linked to the next three first round quarterbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft after the Jacksonville Jaguars take Trevor Lawrence from Clemson and the New York Jets take Zach Wilson from BYU.
Those 2 QBs have been the consensus top two draft picks for months now, and the Patriots, along with several other teams including the Bears, have been talked about as possible trade up candidates to go get either Ohio State’s Justin Fields, Trey Lance from North Dakota State, or Mac Jones from Alabama.
If the report from Arnold comes to fruition that presumably takes one team out of the rookie QB market, which is good news for the Bears.
The San Francisco 49ers draft third overall and while early reports had them zeroing in on Jones, the latest buzz is that Lance is also a possibility.
If either of those two are the pick at 3, then I would imagine teams would be lining up with offers for Fields. If the Pats aren’t one of them that could just leave the Bears, who pick 20, and the Washington Football Team, who pick 19, as the primary suitors.
The Denver Broncos, who pick 9th overall, were also thought to be a possibility for a QB, but on Wednesday they traded a 6th-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for Teddy Bridgewater. And while that doesn’t necessarily take them out of the rookie quarterback market, it does give them more options.
UPDATE: Earlier this morning Ian Rapoport Tweeted out that the ‘Niners “do not have plans to trade Jimmy G, unless the value overwhelms them.” But with them about to pick his replacement, with his contract having an easy out, and with the recent non answer from their head coach about Garoppolo’s status, you have to think if there’s a way to move on from him they will.
UPDATE #2: And then there’s this report about San Francisco trying to get Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers.
The @49ers have offered the @Packers the 3rd overall pick in this year's draft, plus other picks and a number of players from their current roster including Garoppolo
— Bill Michaels (@Bill_Michaels) April 29, 2021
for Aaron Rodgers.
The Packers turned them down.
First reported by @PAOnTheMic and confirmed by others.
The 49ers could always end up cutting Garoppolo if they can’t re-do his deal for a trade, because releasing him will save the team about $23 million in cap space.
There are a few other teams that could be looking to get aggressive in a pursuit of a rookie QB, but the Bears have had trade offers on the table for several veterans this offseason, so their desperation is likely the loudest.
Do you think the Jimmy G rumor and the Broncos trade makes it more likely the Bears could trade up in the draft?