NFL Draft 2017 news: Jimmy Garoppolo keeps open mind with trade talks still in the air

Until today, nothing much has been heard about New England Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. His name has been plaguing the NFL trade headlines but the 25-year-old has not paid much attention to any of it.

With New England dousing all talk about a potential Jimmy Garoppolo trade, something could still happen once the 2017 NFL Draft clock starts. It could happen before teams select or even once the smoke has cleared.

Garoppolo seems ready for anything, saying there were “no nerves” in an interview with Comcast SportsNet New England. He was watching the Boston Celtics playoff match at the time and seemingly avoided getting into detail about the coming draft.

The Patriots are keeping Garoppolo for insurance in case the injury bug catches up on starting quarterback Tom Brady. Also, the 25-year-old is being molded as the quarterback of the future since Brady is set to turn 40 in August, NFL.com reports.

Some see the move of the Patriots as selfish, depriving Garoppolo to move up in his career. His trade stock is pretty high this offseason but it seems he is going with the flow of things. As far as the trade talk is concerned, he says that he is not paying attention to them, keeping a level-head and seeming confident that he will be in New England for long.

"To be honest, I really didn't think about it," he said. "I was just enjoying the offseason. Working out. Grinding it out with the guys out in California. Now we're back at it with the team."

If he remains a Patriot after the 2017 NFL Draft, there are things ahead to consider. He could walk in 2018 thought New England can always use the franchise tag to keep him on the roster.

For Garoppolo, the issue is his stock moving forward. Spelling Brady may do for now but is it really an assurance that he will stay in New England for a longer period of time?

NFL teams have their eye on him with the quarterback position a demand for most teams. The Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears could benefit from someone like him if the pitch tempts the Patriots.

New England is asking for the stars, seeking multiple first-round picks for Garoppolo. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the outrageous demand is to frustrate other teams and tell them that Garoppolo is not available for trade.

The NFL Draft LIVE kicks off at 10:00 a.m. AEST with live stream available via WatchESPN (Australia)