Well, we almost found out a whole lot about Jimmy Garoppolo.
But then Judge Berman cuffed the NFL around in the Southern District of New York, overturned Tom Brady’s four-game suspension, and put Jimmy G. back on ice, relegating him to afterthought status. How would Garoppolo have performed had he been pressed into duty? Probably fairly well. Not relative to Tom Brady but relative, perhaps, to peers like Derek Carr or Teddy Bridgewater.
When we’ve seen Garoppolo perform, we’ve been impressed with his downfield touch, quick release, quick feet and ability to freelance. He’s still raw in terms of reading defenses and leading an offense. Garoppolo is still in the skill-honing portion of his career, but there comes a point where there’s only so much you can do on the practice field and continue to get better.
Will Garoppolo ever get his shot in New England? He’s signed through 2017, but so is Brady. Unless there’s an injury or a ridiculous dropoff from Brady, Garoppolo’s time to shine will continue to be in July and August.
FINAL RATING: Backup | Where would you rate Jimmy Garoppolo?