Jason La Canfora: Chicago Bears to make a heavy push for Patriots QB Jimmy Garoppolo

With the start of the 2017 league year quickly approaching, the 30 teams without a rooting interest in Sunday's big game are eager to get to work. According to CBS's Jason La Canfora, a few of those franchises, specifically those with a need at quarterback, have had detailed in-house dialogues about the potential costs of acquiring popular trade targets Tony Romo, Kirk Cousins, and Arlington Heights, IL-native Jimmy Garoppolo.

La Canfora reported the Bears will be making a heavy push for Garoppolo, according to his sources inside the Bears organization "with knowledge of the situation". He also stated that many front-office personnel around the league consider Garoppolo the top quarterback target of the 2017 offseason.

For Patriots fans who have been inundated with prognostications of potential trade partners for Garoppolo for the better part of two years, this news should come as no surprise. With a positive recent trade history between Chicago and New England, ample Bears draft capital, and an eventual glaring hole at the quarterback position once ties with Jay Cutler are severed, the match appears to be perfect. Furthermore, Chicago GM Ryan Pace and Garoppolo are even fellow Eastern Illinois alumni.

La Canfora also reported that Chicago has done "considerable work" on Washington's Kirk Cousins, although the general consensus around football is that he will receive the franchise tag for a second consecutive season.