BREAKING: Patriots trade quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers

The New England Patriots traded quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2018 second round pick according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

“Major QB shakeup: 49ers trading 2018 2nd-round draft pick to New England for Patriots’ QB Jimmy Garoppolo, sources tell ESPN,” Schefter tweeted. “49ers and Patriots began talking trade Monday morning and, by tonight, the trade was officially agreed upon. Garoppolo to San Francisco.

“With Jimmy Garoppolo traded to SF, the Patriots now buying into the idea that Tom Brady can play well into his 40’s.”

The Patriots received what projects to be an early second round pick for their back-up quarterback two months after they traded their third-string quarterback Jacoby Brissett to the Indianapolis Colts for wide receiver Phillip Dorsett.

Tom Brady is now the only quarterback left on the Patriots roster and New England will have to add a second quarterback to the active roster over their bye week. Quarterback Taylor Heinicke spent roughly 15 days on the Patriots practice squad earlier this season and could be an option to return.

Trading Garoppolo signifies that the Patriots believe that Brady is capable of playing at a high level for a couple more seasons and the team will try to take advantage of a deep class of quarterbacks in the 2018 NFL Draft to give them a couple years to grow behind Brady.

Garoppolo joins an 0-8 49ers roster that will likely be one of the top two or three picks in the second round, providing the Patriots with excellent draft position to take a quarterback on day two of the draft. Garoppolo should start ahead of former Patriots quarterback Brian Hoyer and rookie C.J. Beathard.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the Patriots never received the king’s ransom of draft picks that had been reported during draft season. The Cleveland Browns offered little more than a second round pick “and change” for Garoppolo, so the Patriots didn’t miss out on much trade value by waiting to make this deal.

More on this story to follow.