Top five best available NFL free agents

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Jan 3, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) throws a pass during the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Bills beat the Jets 22 to 17. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports /

Quarterback. New York Jets. Ryan Fitzpatrick. 1. player. 30.

In 2016, the NFL is still very much a quarterback-driven league and the best available quarterback still on the free agency market is journeyman starter and former New York Jets signal caller Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The former seventh round pick out of Harvard has played for six different NFL franchises: St. Louis Rams, Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, Jets. While he has never led a team to the NFL Playoffs or made a Pro Bowl in 11 NFL seasons, Fitzpatrick has been a top 20 NFL starting quarterback for the last five years or so.

Fitzpatrick is adept at learning and thriving in new offenses, throws an accurate deep ball, and is great on his feet trying to extend plays when the pocket collapses. He is coming off his best season as a professional, where he nearly led the 10-6 Jets to the AFC playoffs.

Fitzpatrick threw for 3,905 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2015, both career highs for the journeyman quarterback. He won 10 games as a starter for the first time in his career and seemed to find great continuity with wideouts Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker in Chan Gailey’s offense.

New York and Fitzpatrick have had difficulty reaching a contract extension this offseason, and there is a chance that both parties won’t be able to get a deal done in time. Fitzpatrick could walk away from the game all together, but he’s good enough to start on at least a dozen NFL teams, and would be the best backup quarterback on any team in the league in 2016.

For more 2016 NFL free agency news, please check out our NFL free agency category page.

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