Report: 49ers Asked Patriots About Tom Brady Trade In Offseason
BOSTON (CBS) -- It was surprising enough that Jimmy Garoppolo was available in a trade. But the 49ers also tried to make an even more annoying deal: they actually tried to get Tom Brady.
According to Fox Sports' Jay Glazer, 49ers GM John Lynch tried in the offseason to pry Brady away from the Patriots when he found out that Bill Belichick had no interest in moving Garoppolo. In perhaps the least shocking detail of the entire saga, Belichick wasn't going to give up his five-time Super Bowl champion quarterback, either.
According to Glazer, Lynch called Belichick and asked about Garoppolo but was told that the QB was "completely off limits." He then called back and asked if Brady was a possibility.
You can imagine Belichick's reaction, which Glazer talks about in the video below:
It's hard to blame Lynch for throwing the idea out there. Few teams in the NFL wouldn't want to trade for Brady right now, even at age 40. It certainly didn't affect the 49ers' ability to eventually get Garoppolo at the trade deadline.
Despite the 49ers' decision to send the Patriots a second-round pick for Garoppolo, there are conflicting reports regarding the QB's long-term future in San Francisco. CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora reported on Sunday that the team will keep him on the bench while he learns the offense and possibly work out a contract extension before the end of the season, but ESPN's Adam Schefter described him as a "placeholder" at the position while the 49ers decide whether they want to commit to him or find their QB of the future in next year's draft.
