Cleveland Browns

Patriots Rumors: Cleveland Browns Have Real Interest in Jimmy Garoppolo

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:37 p.m. ET

Fansided, Nick Ziegler/FanSided via Musket Fire

Recent New England Patriots rumors have been about quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and the Cleveland Browns. How interested are the Browns?

With the Super Bowl just a few days away, there are still Patriots rumors about quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Due to a strong showing when Tom Brady was suspended, Garoppolo has become a hot commodity this offseason.

The one team that has been closely linked to Garoppolo has been the Cleveland Browns. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Browns’ interest in Garoppolo is very real.

Here’s what she said about the Browns’ interest in Garoppolo:

Sources say the Browns’ interest in Garoppolo is real and that they’ll try to trade for him depending on how their draft evaluations go over the next five weeks or so.

But they’ll have competition for Garoppolo that will drive up the price. Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan liked him coming out of the draft and might pursue a deal once he formally becomes the 49ers’ head coach.

But the Browns are intrigued, sources say, and they’ll strongly consider it. The cost could be the No. 12 overall pick and more.

The Browns’ interest in Garoppolo makes a lot of sense. While we are still early in the NFL Draft process, the Browns might not like the top quarterbacks like Mitch Trubisky or Deshaun Watson.

While the Browns do have the first overall pick in the draft, they also have the 12th. As Cabot notes, that will likely be the pick that the Patriots target along with a mid-round selection. That would certainly be a home run for the Patriots, who have a lot of key free agents this offseason.

A first round pick would certainly be a steep price for the Browns. However, this is a team that has been starving for a quarterback. Head coach Hue Jackson is a great offensive mind, and he might believe that Garoppolo is the real deal. If he does, trading the 12th pick in the draft would make all the sense in the world for the Browns.