The deal that Fitzpatrick signed with the Jets, a one-year, $12 million contract, came as the Jets were concluding their first day of training camp.
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The well-traveled 33-year-old veteran appeared to be a certainty to re-sign in the weeks leading to the start of free agency, but Fitzpatrick and the Jets became locked in a contract stalemate over financial terms.
The New York Jets ended a five-month contract dispute with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick this week, when both sides finalized a one-year, $12 million deal. The Colts play the Jets in week 13 on December 5, a Monday Night Football contest in NY. I had like six minutes to get in the building, I pulled up and the guys at the (security) gate kind of looked at me amusing but they waved me right through. I wanted something that was fair and reasonable.
Perhaps he should come up with better word choice rather than fueling a fire which did not yet exist.
“I’m not disappointed”, he said after Thursday’s first training camp practice. “After coming to the realization that it wasn’t going to get done right away and that it was going to take some time, I tried my best to put it out of my mind and tried to live life normally. But you’ve just got to kind of play the cards that you’re dealt”.
Simply, Smith is motivated and humbled.
Barring injury or an unforeseen situation, it appears Fitzpatrick will be under center against Cincinnati in Week 1 on September 11.
In his tenth season in the NFL, Fitzpatrick posted career numbers, throwing for 3,905 yards, and connecting for 31 touchdowns. Smith, meanwhile, was left as a spectator with an uncertain future.
The team’s biggest distraction defensively was the contract situation of Muhammad Wilkerson, which was shockingly resolved on the day that players and teams could still negotiate under the franchise player designation.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. Ryan Fitzpatrick showed up at the New York Jets practice facility with just a few minutes to spare.
“Nobody knows except him”, Harris said of Smith. “So, it was not like one of those shocking things”. I just go out and try to prove it every year, and this year is no different.
While waiting for Fitzpatrick, the Jets also explored other options, including bringing in Robert Griffin III, who later signed with Cleveland, and Brian Hoyer, who signed with Chicago.
“I’m auditioning for this team and 31 other teams in the National Football League”, he said. “It’s good to get all the guys back healthy and we didn’t have any offseason problems, so this year is a little calmer than last year”.
Last season, Fitzpatrick completed 335 of 562 passes (59.6 percent) for 3,905 yards with 15 interceptions. I didn’t really love that part of it.
He added: “I thought that it would always get done”.
“I’ll tell you what”.
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“Geno’s done an incredible job developing as a man off the field, a leader and a teammate”, Marshall said. “For me, that’s not how I view myself”. “Which I don’t know if he’s allowed to give it to me, but he did”. “But like I said, that remains to be seen”.
