Ryan Fitzpatrick re-signs with New York Jets
The New York Jets finally re-signed quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to a one-year deal worth $12 million.
After months of contract disputes and trade talks, Ryan Fitzpatrick and the New York Jets have agreed on a 1-year, $12 million deal which is fully guaranteed, according to Adam Schefter.
Finally: Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jets reach agreement on 1-year, $12 million, fully-guaranteed contract, sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 27, 2016
The deal concludes what had been months of contract disputes and stalled talks. The signing comes on the heals of news from earlier today that contract talks between Fitzpatrick and the Jets were heating up.
Fitzpatrick, 32, had a resurgent season in the last year of his two-year, $7.5 million contract and was easily the best quarterback on the market.
Fitzpatrick threw for 3,905 yards and 31 touchdowns to only 15 interceptions while completing 59.6 percent of his passes. Receivers Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall have to be happy about the news. The two were as good as any receiving tandem in the league in 2015, combining for 189 catches, 2,529 receiving yards, and 26 touchdowns.
The signing is great for both Fitzpatrick and the Jets, and while Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker, and newly signed pass-catching machine Matt Forte will all be pleased with the news, one Jets will be none too happy.
Quarterback Geno Smith will now once again be relegated to the glorified job of a backup quarterback. Smith, who was tapped to be the starter during the 2015 campaign was sidelined after a locker room incident in which he suffered a broken jaw, was replaced by Fitzpatrick and never saw meaningful playing time.
The signing of Fitzpatrick is great news for Christian Hackenberg, who will now be able to learn from a very capable starter for a year instead of potentially being thrown to the wolves before he’s ready as a rookie.