AFC vs. NFC
Do not underestimate the impact of conference position in these complicated negotiations. The Patriots are an AFC team. They know exactly how good Garoppolo can be. Would it really make sense for them to trade him to another team in the same conference, thus upping the odds of potentially having to deal with him more often in both the regular season and the playoffs? Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports doesn’t believe so.
“Furthermore, trading Garoppolo out of the AFC would appeal to the Patriots, who expect him to prosper elsewhere.”
This of course makes the Bears a more palatable destination because they are an NFC team. Also helping is the fact that the two teams have already done trade business in the past. GM Ryan Pace dealt guard Ryan Groy, linebacker Jon Bostic and tight end Martellus Bennett to New England between 2015 and 2016. That familiarity would help the process go even smoother.
