My Case for Jimmy Garoppolo

The NFL is all about taking metered chances in order to stay a good team. Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't. Most teams are lucky to have a 2-3 year window to win every 10 years or so. The dominant ones can stay competitive for a decade or more. As we all know, the absolute key to being a dominant team, is a great quarterback, and this is what has kept the Texans from being one of those long-windowed teams for the past 2-4 years.

As the team stands right now, I firmly believe that with an above average quarterback, this team has a window of 2-3 years. If it were to somehow find a great quarterback, that window expands to essentially that quarterback's career, much like the Patriots or the Steelers.

This team took a metered chance on Brock Osweiler. It hasn't worked out. Say what you want about the contract, and giving it to a backup quarterback who didn't play much, whatever. The fact of the matter is that this team knows its window is shrinking, and because of that, made a fairly shrewd move (despite what any critic will say) to try and fix that. The contract sounds bad on paper. We've been told by countless people how bad it was. The fact of the matter is that it was quite possibly the best move Rick Smith has made as a GM.

Now, here's what would top that.

Offer the Patriots pick #25 and pick #57 for Jimmy Garoppolo.


Now, a pause while you let the anger and outrage subside.


It's not that outrageous.


The Redskins gave the Rams #6 and #39 in the 2012 draft, #22 in the 2013 draft, and the #2 pick in the 2014 draft for RG3.

The Rams gave the Titans #15, #43 and #45, and #76 in the 2016 draft, as well as what turned out to be #5 and and #69 in this year's draft for Jared Goff. The Rams did get some late round picks in the swap, as well, though.

The Eagles gave the Browns #8, #77, and #100 in the 2016 draft, #12 in the 2017 draft, and a second round pick next year for Carson Wentz. They also get the Browns fourth round pick this year.

These are the kinds of hauls that it would take for us to move up to draft Trubisky, Kizer, or possibly even Watson. From there, you don't really know what you're getting.

With Garoppolo, you bite the bullet, give up a first and second round pick, and you have a guy that you have a good feel for, based of NFL action.

Didn't you have a good feel for Brock? Well, you thought you did. It didn't work out. Someone should have lost their job over it, to be honest, but it's hard to fire an owner, and it looks like that decision was made by someone that can't be fired. You have to applaud the team for allowing itself to cut away it's failed experiment after two years, though. That kind of foresight is vastly underappreciated, and the narrative on the move will eventually change in time.

Comparing the two on tape, to me, shows Garoppolo with better feet, a quicker release, better pocket mobility and awareness, better touch, better at making reads, quicker at reads, and arguably better escapability. In other words, Garoppolo looks vastly better. He looks like an NFL starter. A pro bowler, possibly.

Some of this is possibly game planning by what may be the greatest coach in history, but clearly the guy has some talent. He has the stats to prove it -something Osweiler didn't necessarily bring to the table.

So, you're telling me that the team should go all in on yet another backup?

Yes.


The Texans have drafted a first round quarterback exactly once in their history. It was a long time ago. Since then, the two times they've been in position to do the same, there hasn't really been anyone worth drafting. (Insert the guys that most of the league passed on, that went on to become good, here) History shows that this is a franchise more likely to sign someone more seasoned and hope for an immediate impact. A likely explanation of this is a mixture of bad luck, poor scouting, and an unwillingness to be bold.

While those things may add up to a good team not having a good signal caller, they've at least added up to a good team. Now, you've got to get your good signal caller.

The price of trading up to get one of the top quarterbacks in the draft is out of the question. It will set your franchise back. It will take away your window if it fails. More often than not, it fails.

Instead, this franchise needs to make a bold move. The bold move is to trade for the quarterback that has been groomed by the greatest 1-2 combo in NFL history. The one who has showed promise in this league. Do what it takes to get him.

He is only 25, about three to four years older than any rookie coming into the league. That means, if great, he still has a window of 10-12 years. That would immediately expand this team's window, if he's great, by that many years.

You also have him under contract just for this year. It's a prove it year. With he and Osweiler coming off the books, you have the flexibility to re-sign him if he's good, or go out and try again.

In a league of uncertainty, Garoppolo certainly is the best choice out there.

Though the Patriots will drive up the trade market for him, and already have started to, do what you need to to get this guy. The Browns and the 49ers are going to offer rich packages for him, but you've got to beat them. Throw in another pick from next year's draft if you must.

Use your Patriots connections to see how good this guy is. This is no Brock Osweiler situation where you sign him sight unseen. You've got a member of your coaching staff that has played with the guy. You know the staff well in New England. If everything checks out, he's your Franchise.




(Sorry for being long-winded)

 

I think Welker, now on the staff, would be more than truthful.


Also, as I said, I don't think it's as big a risk as drafting a quarterback. First, he's been in the league, seen game action, and played well. Second, you'll get a shot at a second tier quarterback. The only one of which I think that has a decent shot at being good is Mahomes.

Lastly, and something I forgot to mention, the areas you need help in, such as OL, can be addressed in the third round on. You can get quality depth, and some starters in those rounds. That, coupled with Martin coming back, has me not as worried about the OL.

Garoppolo can make things happen behind that OL.


Can Mahomes? Maybe. But he'll take a year or two, and he's still a gamble.