Are the Patriots still open to trading Jimmy Garoppolo?

Every team lies this time of year.

How many dozens of times are we warned about this each year? How many more times must we be reminded?

We have to remember that there is a reason we are permitted receive the information that we receive, no matter how credible the source. This is not a knock on “insiders” like Schefter, Glazer, etc. They do excellent work. But they are not in the closed-door decision-making meetings of NFL front offices. It’s easy to forget that they simply are an apparatus for the dispersal of whichever message they are given. Some organizations play this game better than others, and this week’s reports of the Jimmy Garoppolo situation are an ideal example.

Schefter's report that the Patriots have decided not to trade Garoppolo, too many, screamed of posturing. Let's assume that they have received offers already from clubs. Unless Bill Belichick’s socks are completely knocked off, why make a trade this early? What is there to gain by jumping the gun?

Instead, Bill sits back, sips his orange juice, and patiently waits while urgency begins to infest the front offices of those quarterback-needy teams. The Patriots are arguably (and I'm not sure who would argue against them) the best in the league at talent evaluation. They have analyzed the same QB draft class that every other team has. They know they have the best asset at the quarterback position.

A simple text to Adam Schefter is all that was needed to get their message across to those other teams: "Sorry guys. You'll have to do better than that."

How do the other teams like Cleveland counter? Like they weren't invited to the cool kids party, so they are starting their own.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported Thursday that the Browns are "strongly considering" UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky, a native of Mentor,OH, with the number one overall pick in the draft.

Does anyone feel it's a coincidence that reports are now surfacing from all corners of social media that Mike Glennon is being regarded by clubs as a potential option?

Trubisky at number one? Mike Glennon? These reports are clearly signals from clubs to Bill Belichick that "Hey, we know you're posturing, but we can too!" Of course, the problem those clubs face is an overwhelming lack of leverage. They are all running out of time to make the decision on which quarterback they will invest their future in. And deep down they know that Bill cares more about the algae collecting on the hull of his boat than about potentially losing Garoppolo to free agency in the future and only receiving a compensatory draft pick.

In Bill's view, he's got all the time in the world. He's got a valuable insurance policy In Garoppolo if the greatest quarterback of all time finally starts showing his age, and he gets that policy at a wonderfully discounted premium of $895,077 for 2017 (Garoppolo's 2017 salary and workout bonus). He's even got an insurance policy for his insurance policy in third-round Jacoby Brissett, a 2016 third-round pick.

Mere hours after Mary Kay Cabot reported on the Mitch Trubisky rumors, she circled back and reported on Thursday evening that the “Patriots will still trade Jimmy Garoppolo if the offer is right.” She goes on to say that “One preliminary "offer" has already been floated and another is expected to come soon from a second team.”

Around and around we go.

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