Ryan Fitzpatrick has been having a breakout year with the New York Jets. Over the past few seasons, the veteran quarterback has struggled as a backup, but the Jets gave him a chance to shine and he took advantage of it. Now he has the team in contention for the playoffs while also building up an offseason that could see him get a nice pay day with a new contract. Proving he still has plenty of years left on the field, Fitzpatrick is hopeful he gets to return to the Jets.
Fitzpatrick is preparing to be very popular once the NFL offseason hits. The veteran quarterback will be viewed as the perfect addition to a team developing a younger player. However, the quarterback likes the idea of staying in New York as he continues to gain chemistry with players like Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. Given the current state of the Jets' quarterbacks outside of Fitzpatrick, the feeling is mutual.
"I felt like it was an opportunity for me to play, which in having been cut and having been released and traded and all the different things that I've been through in my career, you never know when opportunities are going to come," Fitzpatrick said, via the New York Post. "Just try to take advantage of that the best I can."
Just a few days before, head coach Todd Bowles made it clear that he fully intends to hold on to Fitzpatrick with the way he is playing right now. At 8-5, Fitzpatrick has been a big upgrade for the Jets this season as Marshall is benefitting along with running back Chris Ivory. With a contract for Fitzpatrick likely easy to get done, the Jets will then have to decide what that means for Geno Smith and Bryce Petty. The Jets have been less and less committed to the idea of keeping Smith around and a contract to Fitzpatrick will only cement that idea even further.
The issue for New York is that Smith has no trade value. The team would eat some dead money by releasing him. Could the Jets simply enter next season with the same three quarterbacks? It is not the worst idea as having Fitzpatrick would allow Smith to keep developing. Bowles told the media at the start of the year that Petty is a project quarterback. The Jets do need to be concerned that if Fitzpatrick struggles, Smith might never be the quarterback that can fill in to replace him.
For now the team is focused on getting into the postseason. Injuries could really set them back. Devin Smith is now out for the year with a torn ACL and Jeremy Kerley is dealing with a calf injury that could keep him out of Week 15. According to ESPN's Rich Cimini, the Jets can use Decker on special teams should the receiver not be healthy.
