49ers: Patriots ‘kicked tires’ on Jimmy Garoppolo to no avail

The New England Patriots were reportedly interested in San Francisco 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo before they signed Cam Newton to his extension.

The New England Patriots decided to sign Cam Newton to another one-year deal after the team fell short of expectations in the 2020 NFL season. At 31 years old, Newton had a very inconsistent season last year, though obviously not all his fault. The Patriots simply weren’t good, though it was easiest for most fans to let Newton shoulder the blame.

In his first season in Bill Belichick’s system, Newton completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 2,657 yards with eight touchdowns on the year, versus 10 interceptions. He also added 592 rushing yards and 12 more scores on the ground. The former league MVP obviously still has something left in the tank, and New England wants to see exactly how much it is.

Now that he’s gotten another chance to prove himself, details are coming out about who else the Pats had their eyes on.

Patriots were reportedly interested in 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo

The hunt for quarterbacks this offseason has been particularly interesting. Veteran pieces are being moved around the chessboard, and before landing on Newton, the Patriots may have toyed with the idea of trading for 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

The 49ers finished last in the division last season with a 6-10 record, certainly falling short of expectations. Garoppolo has been in San Fransisco the last three seasons and has missed 10+ games in two of those seasons.

The Niners reportedly took a look at Tom Brady before he ended up on the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, so it’s no surprise that the Patriots were looking to put their bid in on the QB. Still, the 49ers chose not to make him available.

Did the Patriots settle for Cam Newton amid a surely interesting free agency period?