The New York Jets and Ryan Fitzpatrick are reportedly extremely far apart on coming to terms on a new contract. The Jets franchise tagged Muhammad Wilkerson which meant they had to get a deal done with Fitzpatrick or things could get complicated.
This situation is incredibly similar to the one the Denver Broncos are currently facing as they had to tag Von Miller but had assumed they could get a deal done with Osweiler at the very least in the short term. This did not happen, so both teams must look at backup options if they lose their franchise quarterbacks.
The Jets will have Geno Smith waiting in the wings, however after such a successful season it would be somewhat of a letdown if the Jets could not find a way to bring back Fitzpatrick. In 2015 Fitzpatrick had a stellar season for New York, recording 16 starts, completing 335 out of 562 passing attempts and achieving a 59.6 percent completion rating.
He also recorded 3,905 passing yards, a 31-15 touchdown to interception ratio, and a quarterback rating of 88.0. Fitzpatrick is 33 years old and does have 12 seasons under his belt, but it is possible the Jets just see him as a stopgap quarterback. He could be a player who is just there to keep the seat warm for the Jets eventual franchise quarterback.
Fitzpatrick's success was unexpected, and the chemistry found on this team could not be explained especially after the way the season began. Who can possibly forget Smith losing his starting job because former Jets linebacker Ik Enemkpali broke his jaw which resulted in Smith missing a large portion of the season?
The Jets went on to have a 10-6 record and were a game shy of making the playoffs. Fitzpatrick also set the single-season franchise record for touchdown passes. It appears everyone in the Jets' front office wants Fitzpatrick back, however the market for quarterbacks has shifted somewhat since the last time the Jets really spoke on the matter.
Now with Sam Bradford getting a two-year, $36 million dollar contract, Fitzpatrick could be aiming for more money. Fitzpatrick did have the better season and in fact it was one of the best seasons a Jets quarterback has had ever. The Jets do not have the cap space to spend a ton on Fitzpatrick as they currently only have $6 million in available space. It is going to take a miracle for Fitzpatrick to remain in New York.
