The Ryan Fitzpatrick era has begun for the New York Jets. The franchise traded for the veteran at the start of the offseason after he fell out of favor with the Houston Texans. The original intention was to have Fitzpatrick mentor Geno Smith who was entering 2015 as the starting quarterback. However, it is now Fitzpatrick starting under center after Smith broke his jaw in a locker room fight. Could the position be permanent if the veteran succeeds?
Head coach Todd Bowles is prepared to play the hot hand. For now, that is Fitzpatrick as ESPN reports the veteran will take all of the first-team reps over rookie Bryce Petty. Fitzpatrick holds his future in his hands as he can control the outcome of how much he plays. According to Bowles, if Fitzpatrick wins games for the team, he will remain the starter regardless of the developing health of Smith.
"That's a conversation we have to have when he comes back," Bowles said, via NFL.com. "If anybody's playing great, you lose your spot by injury, you lose your spot by a bunch of things, so if he's playing great and the ship is going the right way, you don't make a move. But we'll see as we go. If the other guy's playing well, and the boat's going right, and there are no waves, and everything's going, and we're 4, 5, 6, 7-0? Yeah, you're not coming back to start."
Smith was entering the season skating on thin ice to begin with. After two lackluster seasons as the starting quarterback, he needed to prove something in order to remain with the franchise long-term. The Jets gave him the silent vote of confidence by opting not to make moves in the NFL Draft for Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston. However, this injury could be what pushes the Jets to make another quarterback move in the near future. If the third-year pro is unable to come back and make a real difference for the team, the Jets might no longer feel the need to retain him. To add to the drama, Fitzpatrick's contract is also expiring meaning the Jets will have decisions to make at the position.
Philip Rivers is hitting free agency next summer along with Sam Bradford and Kirk Cousins. Depending on the season, both Mike Glennon and Zach Mettenberger could find themselves the subject of trade talk along with Drew Brees who will have a very expensive year left on his contract. The Jets must make a clear decision about whether or not Smith is their guy for the future or not. If they decide against him, Petty could be seeing more playing time than expected in 2015.
