Tom Brady suspected the New England Patriots would draft their quarterback of the future earlier this month. But he plans to ensure that Jimmy Garoppolo doesn't see the field for the life of the second-round pick's rookie contract.
He's not alone. Pats owner Robert Kraft told NFL Network's "NFL Total Access" on Thursday that he hopes Garoppolo "doesn't get a chance to start for a long, long time."
"From my point of view, and I think for my organization, we believe that Tom has a lot of play left," Kraft said. "The way that he takes care of his body, the way he eats, the way he plays, the way he trains."
In drafting Garoppolo, the Patriots not only picked up the best player on their board, but also added valuable insurance in a hard-hitting league which often requires two quarterbacks.
Kraft cited Jets linebacker Mo Lewis' hit that knocked franchise quarterback Drew Bledsoe out of the lineup prior to the Patriots' first Super Bowl victory in 2002.
"If we didn't have somebody like Tommy in our system, it would've been very devastating," Kraft continued. "You know in any business you always need disaster insurance that's the most important thing, and now we have a young man that I hope he's as good as everyone feels."
If Kraft and Brady get their wish, the organization won't know the answer to that question for another four or five years.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" breaks down the news and examines developments from the first week of OTAs.
