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A couple of matters to get into today regarding the quarterback who isn’t in town. While he’s kind of in town, for the time-being . . .
I’m sure a lot of you have read that Ryan Fitzpatrick didn’t renew his lease on his Chatham home.
NJ Advance Media went to the house and saw a “for rent” sign on the front yard.
When an NJ Advance Media reporter visited the home Tuesday, a “for rent” sign was in the front yard. NJ Advance also reported the house is listed as available for $9,500 a month and that Fitzpatrick’s truck is still in the driveway.
They knocked on the door, but nobody answered.
Fitzpatrick is reportedly in Arizona with his family. Once his kids finished up school, they clearly went out there for vacation and to visit family. That is where the quarterback is from originally.
I would never go to a player’s house and knock on his door, but that is just me.
The for-sale sign is clearly a negotiating ploy. Fitzpatrick likes living in Chatham and his kids are in school.
The Jets stuck on an offer he finds underwhelming, so he and Jimmy Sexton are going to do whatever they can on their end to get the Jets to up-the-offer.
Regardless of what many people say, Fitzpatrick has leverage. When you are a team’s best option at quarterback, there is some leverage. It’s a QB-driven league.
Geno Smith isn’t as good as Fitzpatrick. End of story. I watched Smith like a hawk this spring. I was at every practice. Saw every throw. It’s fool’s gold to think there would be no drop-off.
And Fitzpatrick has enough money in the bank to sit tight for a while, and wait for the Jets to improve the offer, or wait for another team to lose their starter this summer and look for a contract from that team.
In my opinion, the Jets are waiting to the 11th hour to up the offer, so they don’t have to do it twice, by peaking too early.
I don’t think Fitzpatrick is playing under any circumstances for the current offer (a three-year $24 million deal with $15 million guaranteed).
That is not happening.
Add $3 million to the guarantee, increase it from $15 to $18 million, and say that is the “final offer.”
As for the story that Fitzpatrick is out of shape based on a photo from a golf tournament, that is the kind of click-bait nonsense you see a lot on the internet these days to get you to go to a certain website.
His shirt was a little un-tucked and it presented an illusion that he looked fat.
Fitzpatrick is too prideful and professional to let himself get out of shape in an off-season he’s looking to land a new deal.
The Jets need Fitzpatrick this year, even with his shortcomings.
They know that. Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker know that.
To move on to a different, less-experienced QB this year, after the positive step they took last year, is beyond foolish.
But they have to move off the current offer.
He’s not signing that.
July 21, 2016
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