Ryan Fitzpatrick reportedly would accept a one-year deal from the New York Jets if they put such an option on the table.
The New York Daily News’ Gary Myers says Fitzpatrick would take the $12 million guaranteed the Jets have offered him for the 2016 season. The difference is the Jets made that offer as part of a three-year deal for $24 million where he would be low-balled to the tune of six million per season in 2017 and 2018, in addition to the $12 million up front.
The Jets would like such a deal because it would give them three seasons of Fitzpatrick at reasonable prices. Fitzpatrick does not like that offer because he would not want to lock himself into a starting job where he’s paid a mere $6 million per season when he’s coming off a year where he set a franchise record with 31 touchdown passes.
One problem for the Jets in giving Fitzpatrick such a large contract for this season is that they have only a little over $3 million in cap space for the season. The way they could overcome that would be by offering Fitzpatrick a large, guaranteed payment prior to the start of the next league year that would likely result in the team cutting him after the season.
Fitzpatrick’s contract situation with the Jets has been one of the biggest sagas of the offseason. The latest report said Fitz would even consider signing elsewhere for less out of spite.
