Contract negotiations between Ryan Fitzpatrick and the New York Jets have gotten so tense that the veteran quarterback is reportedly willing to take less money to sign with another team.
According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Jets sources — and even some players on the team — believe Fitzpatrick is considering signing with another team for less money than the Jets are offering. That could, of course, be another negotiating ploy from Fitzpatrick’s camp, but we wouldn’t rule anything out after a three-month standoff.
The Jets have reportedly offered Fitzpatrick a three-year deal that seems to be well below market value. Although, if the market for Fitzpatrick’s services were higher, he probably would have signed with another team already.
Some of Fitzpatrick’s veteran teammates are going to great lengths to show the Jets that they want the 33-year-old quarterback to return in 2016. Outside of Fitzpatrick, who had a career year last season, the Jets have Geno Smith, second-year QB Bryce Petty and rookie Christian Hackenberg. The options are fairly limited at this point in the offseason.
