We knew the New York Jets weren't going to stand still at the quarterback position this offseason. But after Josh McCown landed with the Cleveland Browns and Brian Hoyer signed with the Houston Texans, New York's options were limited. However, Hoyer's signing has apparently made Ryan Fitzpatrick expendable and the Jets are closing in on a deal for the veteran passer.
Albert Breer and Kimberly Jones of the NFL Network are reporting that a trade between the two sides could emerge quickly once Hoyer is officially locked up. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweeted that Gang Green is expected to ship a late-round draft pick to Houston for Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick, 32, started 12 games for the Texans last season. Houston went 6-6 in those games and Fitzpatrick completed 63.1 percent of his passes for 2,483 yards with 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Those numbers won't qualify him for Canton anytime soon, but they certainly aren't terrible. But with Hoyer coming on board and Ryan Mallett returning, Fitzpatrick became a luxury for the Texans.
The Jets will be happy if Fitzpatrick produces those same numbers in 2015. Geno Smith completed 59.7 percent of his passes while throwing for 2,525 yards with 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 14 games last year. The two QBs will likely compete for the starting job throughout training camp and the preseason.
