Although his contract negotiations are up in the air, New York Jets’ quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick might be willing to take a one-year, $12 million deal with Gang Green. The cap charge for the three-year contract would be significantly less, at an estimated $6 million.
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It also makes football sense for the Jets to have Fitzpatrick back in 2017 as an insurance policy at the very least for Christian Hackenberg, who may or may not be ready to take over in 2017. After all, the 33-year-old veteran led the Jets to a 10-6 mark and within a win of the playoffs while throwing a franchise-record 31 touchdown passes. “That’s not the reason why I wasn’t here”, he said. “And that’s a good thing for all of us”. The other problem, that you won’t hear mentioned but is fairly obvious, is the Jets simply don’t think Fitzpatrick is worth $12 million a year, even if it’s only for one year. Bryce Petty is unproven.
The offer the Jets presented to Fitzpatrick was fair considering that he’s never had a season as good as 2015 and it was because of the system built around him. As of now, Geno Smith is the starting quarterback for the Jets, and he will be looking to save his career if given the chance to be the starter. Plus, if Fitzpatrick stinks they can cut him cheaply.
The Fitzpatrick drama, eventually, will sort itself out, one way or another.
But on Friday, multiple reports surfaced that the Jets offered Fitzpatrick a three-year deal that includes $12 million guaranteed in the first year.
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Marshall was believed to have missed the first week of “voluntary” workouts for personal reasons that had nothing to do with Fitzpatrick, the free agent who has been embroiled in a long and increasingly contentious standoff with the Jets. “I informed him the week before that I was going with my wife”. He is a free agent this year and considering what he did under center last year he feels he deserves a big pay day. A short term deal wouldn’t be bad and maybe that one-year deal could’ve been pretty tolerable. Last season, he made $3.25 million in the second year of a two-year pact, according to Spotrac.
