The New York Jets and Ryan Fitzpatrick are still without a deal as the football season approaches.
According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Fitzpatrick had shown a willingness to take a one-year deal, worth $12 million. That seemed like a reasonable solution for the long stalemate between the Jets and their quarterback, but New York isn’t budging. Mehta reports the Jets “aren’t interested” in the deal.
The Jets do want to sign Fitzpatrick but don’t want to mess up their cap doing so. The team reportedly offered him a three-year deal in March, which includes a $12 million guarantee in its first-year. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes, that arrangement would be different because it would take up less cap space via a signing bonus. With the one-year deal, all $12 million would count against the cap.
New York is playing a dangerous game of hardball. Top receivers Brandon Marshall and Erick Decker have been skipping OTA’s to protest Fitzpatrick not being signed. It’s clear his teammates want him back. As it stands, Geno Smith and rookie Christian Hackenberg are atop the Jets depth chart at QB. If the team wants to build on their 10-6 record, they can’t start the season with either behind center. They need Fitzpatrick.
The Jets don’t want to mess up their cap, but Fitzpatrick is a huge key for them in 2016. The longer he remains unsigned, the more likely he won’t be with New York when the season starts.
