Tom Brady

Longtime Belichick assistant answers the big question: What's next for Jimmy Garoppolo?

Published Oct. 11, 2016 7:55 p.m. ET

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Tom Brady's return was the talk of Week 5, with the 39-year-old Patriots QB passing for 406 yards in his season debut.

With Brady looking entrenched at QB, the question is what do the Pats do with Jimmy Garoppolo?

The 24-year-old led the Pats to a 2-0 start, completing 71.2 percent of his passes for four TDs and no picks before being sidelined by a shoulder injury in Week 3. Once he's healthy, he's a helluva backup —€” or a pretty sweet chip to have in trade talks.

Michael Lombardi, a longtime Bill Belichick assistant, says New England will play the waiting game and see what kind of offers come in from teams desperate for a QB. And he insists the Pats will not make a move unless they receive an offer they can't refuse.

"Belichick will sit there and play poker and wait," Lombardi said on "Undisputed" on Tuesday. "Because something could happen to Tom, whether it's an injury, and now he's sitting in the perfect position. Because if he reacts quickly and takes the first thing, and then two weeks later something happens, then everybody says 'Why would you get rid of Jimmy G?'"

Skip Bayless thinks Brady can play five more years, and Lombardi says Tom texted him, saying he plans to play until 2025. So Garoppolo may end up being someone else's QB of the future, and the right trade may help Brady extend his Hall of Fame-caliber career.

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Tom Brady

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