NFL Rumors: Latest Buzz on Jimmy Garoppolo, Predraft Trades and More

The 2016 NFL regular season will draw to a close on Sunday night, which for many teams means on to the offseason.

Even for the 12 teams that will be participating in the playoffs this year, the 2017 offseason is right around the corner. This naturally means trade rumors and free-agent speculation are also on the immediate horizon for all 32 franchises.

In fact, we're already seeing a fair amount of roster speculation with a week left to go. Add in the roster decisions some teams have made late in the season, and there's plenty of potential offseason moves to discuss—which is exactly what we're going to do here today.

Let's take a look at some of the most notable NFL rumors of Week 17.

Patriots Preparing to Move Jimmy Garoppolo

The New England Patriots have made a habit in recent years of developing backup quarterbacks and then trying to flip them for draft compensation. The Patriots most recently traded away Ryan Mallett during the 2014 offseason and dealt Matt Cassel for a second-round pick back in 2009.

Current backup Jimmy Garoppolo, a second-round pick back in 2014, has become the latest source of trade speculation for the Patriots.

NFL Media's Chris Wesseling recently proposed the idea that the Patriots' activation of quarterback Jacoby Brissett from injured reserve is part of a plan to move Garoppolo prior to next year's draft.

"Activating Brissett suggests the team's decision-makers want him to get as much practice as possible in case a Garoppolo trade thrusts him into the backup role next season," Wesseling wrote.

There certainly could be some truth to what Wesseling suggested. At least, there has to be a reason for the Patriots to activate Brissett now, since he will take up a roster spot throughout the offseason.

Of course, using Brissett for trick plays and sub-packages is also another possibility.

It is unlikely that the Patriots will be looking at a shortage of trade offers for Garoppolo in the offseason, though. In addition to his status as a former second-round pick, the former Eastern Illinois standout played extremely well before injury early in the season.

Garoppolo passed for 502 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in wins over the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins. Pro Football Focus still rates him 21st among all quarterbacks for the season.

NFL Media's Gregg Rosenthal lists Garoppolo as his top trade candidate among quarterbacks for the 2017 offseason.

Should the Patriots receive a first-round offer for Garoppolo, don't be surprised if they pull the trigger.

The Browns Could be the Team Coming after Garoppolo

It's no secret that the Cleveland Browns are in need of a steady signal-caller. This is why it makes a ton of sense for the Browns to be the team that goes hard after Garoppolo in a potential offseason bidding war.

“The next quarterback that’ll be the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback perhaps is Jimmy Garoppolo in New England,” former Browns general manager Mike Lombardi said on FS1’s Speak for Yourself, per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “I think the Patriots will decide whether [to trade Garoppolo] based on the deal they’re offered,” Lombardi said, “and Cleveland has enough assets to entice them.”

The fact that the Browns are loaded with a pair of first-round picks gives them the ammunition to do so. Cleveland could theoretically use the first overall pick (assuming the teams holds onto it) on a defensive stud and then trade their second first-rounder (acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles) on Garoppolo.

Given the crop of quarterbacks expected to be available in this draft, dealing for Garoppolo could be one of the best moves the Browns could make. This year's class isn't considered exceptionally strong at the position.

Even if the Browns don't trade for Garoppolo, there's a chance they still make a blockbuster predraft trade. Given the dearth of talent on Cleveland's overall roster, the Browns may want to trade out of that first overall pick and secure a bigger depth of high-round talent.

This, of course, could mean Cleveland misses out on a blue-chip prospect at the top of the draft, but could also earn the Browns an additional first-rounder in the 2018 draft, when the quarterback crop is widely expected to be better.

Will Brandin Cooks End Up on the Trading Block?

According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, New Orleans Saints wide receiver may be another player who draws a lot of trade interest prior to the 2017 draft.

Rapoport wrote the following earlier this month:

"

Expect trade talks centered around Cooks leading up to the free-agency window, with the speedster no doubt set to draw interest. This could be similar to what New Orleans did with Jimmy Graham. There are only so many balls to go around. He's a vertical threat unused in that way, and the Saints might decide he's more valuable in a trade than on their team.

Graham's trade had to do with his huge contract. For Cooks, it might be because of his impeding contract, as well as the fact that the team seems to have found receivers such as Willie Snead and breakout star Michael Thomas who better fit what they do.

"

If certainly feels like the Saints could afford to part ways with Cooks if the price to acquire him is right. Considering Cooks has already topped the 1,100-yards mark with a game to go, that price could be rather high.

A lot will likely depend on how New Orleans decides it wants to build moving forward. The plethora of offensive weapons currently on the team hasn't been enough to earn the Saints a playoff spot this season, so moving a player like Cooks in order to add defensive or line talent could be a realistic option.

If the Saints do field offers for Cooks, expect there to be plenty.

Bills Moving on From Tyrod Taylor?

This past offseason, the Buffalo Bills signed quarterback Tyrod Taylor to a hefty contract extension. Now, it appears the contract is part of the reason why Taylor won't be playing in Week 17 against the New York Jets.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bills have reportedly benched Taylor in order to avoid potentially paying out more than $30 million of his contract that is guaranteed for injury.

The question now is what the Bills do with Taylor moving forward.

Taylor's contract includes a $15.5 million option that the Bills will have to make a decision on next March. If the team decides not to pick up the option and release Taylor, Buffalo will only owe $2.85 million in dead money. Picking up the option would result in $27.5 million of Taylor's 2017-18 salaries becoming guaranteed.

Seeing as how recently fired Rex Ryan was one of Taylor's biggest supporters in Buffalo, it seems quite possible the Bills will choose to move on from the former Baltimore Ravens backup this offseason.

"

When some in upper management wanted to bench Tyrod Taylor, it was Rex Ryan who kept him on the field. GM Doug Whaley wants to see EJ Manuel

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 27, 2016"

If so, Taylor could become another hot quarterback commodity before the draft.