The New York Jets cleared some salary cap space when offensive lineman D’Brickashaw Ferguson retired and they acquired Ryan Clady from the Denver Broncos for less money. That should give them more flexibility to re-sign Ryan Fitzpatrick, but has it helped?
Not yet, at least.
Chris Carlin of SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio is reporting that Fitzpatrick and the Jets still are “not close” on any potential new deal. Fitzpatrick reportedly wants to be paid like a viable NFL starting quarterback and earn somewhere around $15 million per year, but the Jets are not willing to offer much more than half of that.
The more time that passes, the more the Jets find themselves in a position of strength. If Fitzpatrick had an offer he was interested in from a team like the Denver Broncos, he would have signed it by now. The fact that the 33-year-old remains a free agent implies that no team has been willing to come close to his asking price.
If the situation between Fitzpatrick and the Jets remains the same, the team could explore trade options. We know one star Jets player who is not going to be happy if it comes to that.
