I really don’t understand the love affair with Ryan Fitzpatrick by the New York media and Jets beat writers. Sure, he set a New York Jets record of 31 touchdowns in 2015, but that should say more about the organization then the quarterback. For the past week, I keep reading about how ” The Jets need to get their guy back”, “Jets and Fitzpatrick should stop playing these games and come to a middle ground”, “Fitzpatrick and Jets are perfect for each other” etc., etc., But why?Why do they need to meet in the middle? Why is it so important for the Jets to get this guy back? Are we talking about Ryan Fitzpatrick or Aaron Rodgers? Its ridiculous, and as a Jets fan residing in NY, I’m tired of reading about it. And it’s not just the NY media, national NFL analysts have pretty much been stating the same.
Let’s take it as it is. The Jets don’t have a starting quarterback and the guy that started for them last season is still
Ryan Fitzpatrick threw 31 TD’s for the Jets in 2015. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
available on the free agent market. Got it. But why is it so important to bring Ryan Fitzpatrick back? These people are trying to tell us that the quarterback that had a career record of 33-55-1 (now 43-61-1) prior to last season is the must have quarterback for this team. I would love to give you his playoffs stats, but he doesn’t have any. Perhaps I am that bitter fan that only remembers his week 17 horrid performance in which he threw 3 terrible interceptions, in a game that could’ve sent him and the Jets to the playoffs. I don’t want to be here belittling Fitzpatrick and what he did accomplish last season, and what he might have meant to the New York Jets. He is a good quarterback. However, he is what he is. He’s a soon to be 34 year old career journeyman that has served primarily as a backup. And he’s that for a reason.
The good old “he’s never had weapons like he does now” argument has come up from time to time. Well, neither has Robert Griffin III, Colin Kaepernick or dare I even say it….Geno Smith. By no means am I supporter of any of the aforementioned players, but I can make the case for the Jets to go in either of those directions over Ryan Fitzpatrick. This is a team that is not only dealing with cap issues, but age as well. It is the job of the General Manager to build a winning team, while looking ahead into the future as well. A very difficult thing to do. We all know the struggles of RG3, Kap, and Geno over the past couple of years, but they all posses similar aspects that Fitzpatrick doesn’t; 1) They can use their legs. 2) They have big arms making the deep ball a threat. 3) they are young enough to potentially be a franchise quarterback. Something the Jets have not had in quite some time. Don’t misread what I’m saying. I don’t necessarily believe that any of those guys are franchise guys, but at least they are young enough to have a chance to be. You won’t be getting that with Fitz. I mentioned the use of their legs and their big arms. Don’t discount that because those are two areas that a defense would have to spend time preparing for on game day. Not to mention they would be able to utilize the strength of their 2nd round pick from a year ago, Devin Smith.
Bottom line is this. A player is only worth what a team is willing to pay. Reports are the Jets are offering a yearly base salary of 7 million dollars, and Fitzpatrick wants close to what Bradford and Osweiler received from the Eagles and Texans respectively (18 million a year). I don’t blame Fitz for asking for that, considering he had a better year than Bradford and Osweiler has only started 7 games. But there is no need for the Jets to increase their offer when they are currently only bidding against themselves. That’s just bad business. The Denver Broncos are now engaging Fitzpatrick, but even they believe the current asking price is too high. So if the Broncos offer him 9 million a year should the Jets go to 10 if it results in getting him signed? Not if they can sign RG3 for less than that. I don’t think the Jets are as desperate for a QB as many believe they are. They didn’t expect the season he had last year, so who’s to say someone else can’t do the same. Besides, we might not have even been talking about this if Geno didn’t get sucker-punched by a teammate. I wouldn’t mind Fitzpatrick returning to the Jets, but it has to be at their price. Maybe the value he brings to the locker room is something I’m not taking into account, but I’m not there to speak on that. Brandon Marshall wants him back bad enough to play with teddy bears to tell everyone, but he was all about Geno Smith prior to the injury..and Jay Cutler before that. He’ll love anyone that is going to get him the ball.
In my opinion, after watching the Broncos win the Super Bowl with the way Peyton Manning was last year, Ryan Fitzpatrick would be the perfect fit for that team. And for the Jets…..Someone else.
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