The New York Jets remain without a quarterback. Well, unless you count former second-round pick and professional punching bag Geno Smith. But if you don't (and you shouldn't), then the Jets remain very much in flux at the game's most important position. Ryan Fitzpatrick wants all the money, or at least some of the money, but whatever line Jets General Manager Mike Maccagnan has drawn in the sand when it comes to a new deal for Fitzpatrick, it's deep and it's wide and the Jets aren't willing to step even an inch back across it.
So when it was announced Monday that the Houston Texans, after forking over a Brink's truck worth of coin to unproven former Bronco Brock Osweiler, had released veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer, it didn't take an MIT degree to connect the dots.
Hoyer, despite his putrid end to the 2015 season and the Texans' short-lived playoff run - he threw 34 passes in Houston's single postseason game, completing 19 balls, only 15 of which went to his own team - remains a moderately talented veteran with the ability to shepherd a team through an NFL season.
In short, he's Fitzpatrick 2.0.
And the latest connection the two may share - beyond Fitzpatrick's Hoyer-esque three interception performance against the Bills to close out the 2015 season that helped keep the Jets from securing what looked to be a well-deserved playoff spot - is a turn as the starting signal-caller for the Jets, as Hoyer is set to visit New York today.
And while Fitzpatrick certainly has a leg up on Hoyer when it comes to his overall appeal for New York - the team knows him, he proved last year that he can be extremely effective playing in Chan Gailey's offense, he has far more starting experience as compared to Hoyer - his price tag may simply be too high for Maccagnan and head coach Todd Bowles' liking.
Fitzpatrick, 33 and entering his 12th season in the league, is coming off the best statistical performance of his career. Through 16 games, Fitzpatrick completed 335 passes for 3,905 yards, 31 touchdowns and an 88.0 rating. Of those totals, both the yards and touchdowns were career highs.
There's a reason Brandon Marshall, who caught 14 of those touchdowns, wants Fitzpatrick back.
But Marshall doesn't handle contracts or the salary cap. And the Jets, entering their second season under Maccagnan and Bowles, surely know that they can't tie themselves to Fitzpatrick long-term. They need to find a young signal-caller of their own that they can grow with.
So what they really need out of a quarterback right now, whether it be Hoyer, Fitzpatrick or Jared Lorenzen, is a short-term, low-guaranteed figure deal.
Hoyer may be willing to give it to them, while Fitzpatrick continues to hold out for a payday that just isn't going to come.
