Draft season is a time for smoke screens and vague comments coming from all 32 teams in the NFL, but no team is more inscrutable than the New England Patriots. The organization takes its cue from head coach Bill Belichick, who is loath to say anything about, well, anything.
It should come as no surprise, then, that when director of player personnel Nick Caserio was asked in a radio appearance about the future of backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and whether or not he is truly off the market, Caserio was vague enough that he might as well have not said anything at all.
"Anything that we do, we're always going to do what we think is in the best interest of our football team, and that's how we approach it," Caserio said, per The Boston Herald. "That's not going to change. Whatever you think is best for our team for 2017, for that season, then that's what we'll do. However that manifests itself, not exactly sure, but that's where the focus is, is trying to put together the best team possible for the 2017 season. However that comes about, then we'll take it as it comes."
Garoppolo has either been on the verge of being traded or completely off the market several times this offseason, according to various reports, with the price tag the Patriots are willing to accept in exchange for his services changing rapidly.
The most recent reports had the hottest suitor, the Cleveland Browns, having lost all hope about a potential deal. Things do tend to heat up as we get closer to draft day, though, so it's possible that discussions could be happening over the next week or so. With Tom Brady still expected to play several more years, it would be surprising (but not necessarily shocking) to see the Pats potentially lose Garoppolo for nothing in free agency after next season when they had an opportunity to trade him this year.