Matt Forte wants Jets to re-sign Ryan Fitzpatrick

Matt Forte is the most recent New York Jets player to have vouched for quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

When the New York Jets brought in Ryan Fitzpatrick prior to the 2015 NFL season, they weren’t expecting him to be a long-term fix. That solution was supposed to be Geno Smith. However, a locker room ‘sucker punch’ forced Fitzpatrick into the starting lineup and he never looked back. His numbers weren’t jaw-dropping, but they were more than impressive for the career journeyman.

Fitzpatrick led the Jets to a 10-6 record while throwing for nearly 4000 yards and 31 touchdowns. After a season like this, the veteran signal caller expected a sizable payday, which the Jets weren’t ready to commit to. Essentially, the Jets are viewing him for what he’s done over the course of his entire career while Fitzpatrick is trying to use the leverage created from a strong 2015-16 campaign.

Everyone from head coach Todd Bowles to star receiver Brandon Marshall have publicly expressed their interest in bringing Fitzpatrick back. And most recently, newly signed running back Matt Forte chimed in on the hot topic.

According to a report from CBS Sports, Forte said, “I’d be disappointed it I don’t get to work with him given that he was here last year and the good job he did. But at the same time, you have to prepare yourself for the worst if that doesn’t happen.”

He went on to say, “I hope he does sign and come back so that we can continue to hold off the momentum from last year that him and Brandon and Eric (Decker) and all the receivers and the offense had last year.”

In the end, the Jets might have to pay more than they’d like to keep the journeyman quarterback, but the NFL is truly a quarterback-driven league. If you don’t have a reliable signal caller, chances are you’ll struggle to keep up throughout the season.

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