The Chicago Bears are one of many teams looking for a franchise quarterback. With Patriots backup Jimmy Garoppolo expected to be on the trade block, the Bears have made it known that they will be a strong suitor for his services. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported the following.
“The Chicago Bears will make a strong, concerted effort to acquire quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo from the Patriots, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. The Illinois native is far and away their top offseason priority”.
The Bears join the Browns as known suitors. Chicago makes sense for a few reasons. General Manager Ryan Pace went to Eastern Illinois where Jimmy G also went to school. Pace is a former employee of the New Orleans Saints where he and head coach Sean Payton, another Eastern Illinois product, scouted Graoppolo heavily. Considering the Bears have the 3rd overall pick in the draft, an early 2nd round choice may be enough to entice New England to listen.
For the Patriots they may be more apprehensive of dealing their backup quarterback within the conference. Dealing him to a team in the NFC like Chicago, might be the best course of action in order to avoid playing him in the future.
