Now that Jimmy Garoppolo is in the Super Bowl with the 49ers, the topic in New England has returned: did the Patriots get enough for the quarterback in the 2017 trade, and did the team make the right decision to move on from him?
The second part is easy, as both sides made out in the deal. The Patriots have made the Super Bowl twice since the trade and they had no chance of keeping both Tom Brady and Garoppolo for the 2018 season due to the salary cap, and then Garoppolo set the 49ers up well for the future, which has now led to a Super Bowl berth.
In terms of what the Patriots got back, it isn't cut and dry.
The Patriots received a 2018 second-round pick (No. 43 overall) in return from the 49ers, but that pick was traded numerous times, so it isn't like Garoppolo was traded for a second-round pick and with that pick the Patriots selected X player.
Here's a complete breakdown of what the Patriots really got in exchange for Garoppolo.
2018 No. 43 overall: This was traded for picks No. 51 and No. 117.
2018 No. 51 overall: This was traded for pick No. 105 and the Bears' 2019 second-round pick.
2018 No. 105 overall: This was traded for picks No. 114 and No. 178.
2018 No. 114 overall: This was traded for Detroit's 2019 third-round pick.
2018 No. 117 overall: This was traded along with pick No. 63 to move up into the second round (No. 56 overall) where the team selected Florida defensive back Duke Dawson.
2018 No. 178 overall: In the third round, the Patriots selected Arizona State linebacker Christian Sam.
2019 No. 56 overall (from Bears in 2018 draft): This pick along with No. 101 were used to trade up into the second round and select Vanderbilt defensive back Joejuan Williams.
2019 No. 73 overall (from Lions in 2018 draft): This was traded along with No. 205 to the Bears in exchange for picks No. 87 and No. 162, as well as a 2020 fourth-round pick.
2019 No. 87 overall: In the third round, the Patriots selected running back Damien Harris out of Alabama.
2019 No. 162 overall: This was traded with picks No. 97 and No. 162 to move up to No. 101 and No. 133.
2019 No. 101 overall: In the fourth round, the Patriots selected offensive tackle Yodny Cajuste from West Virginia.
2019 No. 133 overall: In the fourth round, the Patriots selected quarterback Jarrett Stidham.
It goes even further because the Patriots traded Dawson at the end of training camp last summer to the Broncos in exchange for a 2020 sixth-round pick. So, as of now, here are all the players the Patriots received for Garoppolo and then there's the potential for at least two more via the 2020 draft.
- LB Christian Sam- DB Joejuan Williams- RB Damien Harris- QB Jarrett Stidham- 2020 fourth-round pick from Chicago- 2020 sixth-round pick from Denver
Pretty straight forward, right?
