Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets are currently at odds over the value of a new contract. Fitzpatrick made a little over $3 million last season and is reportedly asking for nearly five times that amount. New York, obviously, doesn’t want to pay that much and former Jets player Bart Scott thinks Fitzpatrick shouldn’t be shooting for the stars.
During an interview with Sirius XM, Scott ripped Fitzpatrick for trying to cash in when perhaps he shouldn’t be, based on his level of production and status as average, but not great quarterback.
“Fitz don’t have a leg to stand on, man,” Scott said tol SiriusXM NFL Radio, via ESPN. “He is who he is. You can have great teams and great records, but at this point, pretty much everybody knows who he is. He’s a quality guy. On another 20 teams in the league, he would be a backup. The only teams that he would start for are the teams that have bad quarterback situations. He’s a bridge guy, a glue guy.”
It’s blunt, as you would expect from Scott, but there isn’t much he said worth arguing about. The Jets know what they’re getting with Fitzpatrick, so do fans of the Jets and NFL. And, all three would agree paying Fitzpatrick what he’s asking for wouldn’t be the best business decision.
Scott continued by saying the money being paid to younger quarterbacks is based on their potential and that ship has sailed on Fitzpatrick.
“Osweiler hasn’t reached his ceiling yet,” Scott said. “They’re paying for his potential, what he might be able to become. It’s all downhill right now for Fitz.”
It doesn’t appear the Jets are going to back down from their position and Fitzpatrick looks to have his feet dug in the sand as well. So, what we’re left with is a good old fashioned game of chicken.
Players are always going to try to maximize their earnings, and it’s tough to argue with that, especially in football. How confident the Jets are in Geno Smith as the starter will go a long way in determining whether they meet Fitzpatrick somewhere in the middle or leave him looking for work.
