The New York Jets have made some big moves in free agency, as they landed former Bears running back Matt Forte, but still have a big question surrounding the quarterback position. The Jets front office made it known following the 2015 season that it wanted quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick back next season, and both general manager Mike Maccagnan and head coach Todd Bowles were adamant about retaining their starting quarterback.
The Jets and Fitzpatrick are reportedly not close to a new contract, and the veteran journeyman quarterback is expected to see what the market offers. The Jets are reportedly interested in San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and are one of three franchises vying for the 28-year-old.
The Jets' offer to retain Fitzpatrick, 33, is reportedly a little bit better than quarterback Chase Daniel's new contract with the Eagles, which is a three-year deal worth $21 million. Quarterbacks are flying off the market quickly since the league year officially began Wednesday, and players like Sam Bradford, Brock Osweiler and Kirk Cousins have all agreed to deals for at least the 2016 season.
Fitzpatrick arguably outplayed all three of the players mentioned above last season, and posted the best regular season record at 10-6. Cousins did lead the Redskins to the postseason in a weak NFC East this past season, but that does not take away from what the Jets free agent quarterback achieved last year.
In his first season in New York, Fitzpatrick threw for a career-high 3,905 yards with a career-high 31 touchdowns. Fitzpatrick found a strong chemistry with wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, and many were looking forward to seeing what they would do in a second season together. While the Jets and Fitzpatrick are not close to a new contract, one name to keep an eye on is Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer.
The Jets are reportedly expected to inquire about Hoyer, who is expected to move on from Houston prior to next season. Several teams are reportedly interested in the Texans quarterback services, as he is coming off his best season since entering the league. Hoyer threw a career-high 19 touchdowns last season, but most fans remember his horrendous playoff game against the Chiefs in which when he threw four interceptions and no touchdowns.
Teams likely won't overpay for Hoyer, but it wouldn't be surprising if the Jets used a middle to late round draft pick to acquire the 30-year-old quarterback. The Jets were one of the most improved teams under Bowles in 2016, but will likely need to solve their quarterback dilemma soon as the market is only becoming thinner the later they wait.
