The Denver Broncos have reportedly expressed interest in signing Ryan Fitzpatrick, but they are not willing to pay what the 33-year-old veteran is currently seeking.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Broncos are searching for a quarterback to pair with the recently-acquired Mark Sanchez. They could revisit discussions with Fitzpatrick’s agent at some point, but it sounds like the two sides are nowhere close in terms of numbers.
While Fitzpatrick is aiming to be paid somewhere in the $18 million-per-year range that Sam Bradford got from the Philadelphia Eagles and Brock Osweiler got from the Houston Texans, the stage seems to be set for him to get significantly less than that. The two aforementioned signal-callers are much younger than Fitzpatrick, who would be more of a place-holder for any team that signed him.
The Jets have reportedly offered to pay Fitzpatrick more like a backup quarterback than a starter, but they still want him back in 2016. That must mean they are confident no other team is willing to pay what Fitzpatrick’s agent has demanded.
New York created some buzz on Friday by bringing in a popular name for a visit, though that move could have been purely for leverage in negotiations with Fitzpatrick. Until Fitzpatrick lowers his expectations, he probably won’t find many suitors.
