Bills & Fitzpatrick agree to long term deal

[Vudu]

Bills, Ryan Fitzpatrick agree to new contract

Posted by Michael David Smith on October 28, 2011, 1:41 PM EDT

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Ryan Fitzpatrick is set to be the franchise quarterback in Buffalo for years to come.

The Bills and Fitzpatrick have agreed to a new long-term contract extension.

Chris Mortensen

reports that it’s a six-year deal worth $59 million, with $24 million guaranteed and $33 million in the first three yrs. That’s right in line with what we’ve been hearing for several weeks, that Fitzpatrick was getting close to a deal that would put him solidly within the “second-tier” quarterback club, at around $10 million a year, though not in the “first-tier,” where Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are averaging $18 million a year.

The 28-year-old Fitzpatrick is in his third year with the Bills and became their regular starter last season. This year he has 1,477 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, six interceptions and a completion rate of 66.3 percent, and he’s the biggest reason the Bills are surprising contenders to win the AFC East.

[villain_the_foe]

Good for him.

Now that he's signed long term, hopefully he'll suck from here on out!

[Gainzo]

He is having a good year but a 6 year extension with $24 million guaranteed?

Ryan Fitzpatrick is set to be the franchise quarterback in Buffalo for years to come.

The Bills and Fitzpatrick have agreed to a new long-term contract extension.

Chris Mortensen reports that it’s a six-year deal worth $59 million, with $24 million guaranteed and $33 million in the first three yrs. That’s right in line with what we’ve been hearing for several weeks, that Fitzpatrick was getting close to a deal that would put him solidly within the “second-tier” quarterback club, at around $10 million a year, though not in the “first-tier,” where Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are averaging $18 million a year.

The 28-year-old Fitzpatrick is in his third year with the Bills and became their regular starter last season. This year he has 1,477 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, six interceptions and a completion rate of 66.3 percent, and he’s the biggest reason the Bills are surprising contenders to win the AFC East.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/28/bills-ryan-fitzpatrick-agree-to-new-contract/

[Gainzo]

DLJ beat me on the post by 2 minutes! Mods, please merge or delete.

[THE ILK]

DLJ beat me on the post by 2 minutes! Mods, please merge or delete.

2 minutes longer than you usually last...

[Jetsfan80]

Buffalo kind of had to do that. It's been so long since they've had a franchise quarterback (Kelly) or even a pretty solid one (Bledsoe?), they couldn't let him get away, and had to overpay him.

Still, I don't think Fitzpatrick is among the top 10 or 12 in the league or that his ceiling will ever allow him to be there. He's a good quarterback, not great. He'll prove not to be worth the kind of money that he got before long.

[hollywood nosebleed]

He's not a bad QB and 6 years 60 mil is better than the 63mil Kolb got. Problem is he's already 29 and not elite. Now Buffalo has handcuffed themselves for the next 4-6 years of being a below avg to mediocre team. When they really should be trying to build through the draft. No big time free agents will sign there. So great news it's just us and the pats still.

[Bleedin Green]

Buffalo kind of had to do that. It's been so long since they've had a franchise quarterback (Kelly) or even a pretty solid one (Bledsoe?), they couldn't let him get away, and had to overpay him.

Still, I don't think Fitzpatrick is among the top 10 or 12 in the league or that his ceiling will ever allow him to be there. He's a good quarterback, not great. He'll prove not to be worth the kind of money that he got before long.

While I agree with most of your thoughts on him as a player, I'm still not sure that it's really that much overpaying. The rate for QB's in the NFL these days is absolutely staggering. I have no doubt he would have been able to get a bigger deal on the FA market, assuming he continued to have a solid year for the Bills despite having nothing but Fred Jackson and a whole bunch of nobodies along with him on offense. Just look at some of the contracts career backups have gotten in recent years to start for new teams (Schaub, Cassel, Kolb), this guy at least has a resume as a starter. After all, his number is still not much more than half of what the league's top QBs are hauling in. I mean hell, it's even less than Sanchez's rookie deal.

[RutgersJetFan]

Damn pretty boys, they always get all the money and girls.

[T0mShane]

I imagine this will be the template for Sanchez's eventual deal. Hoorah.

[JetsFanInDenver]

Kolb > Fitz ?

[Gainzo]

Kolb > Fitz ?

Hard to tell right now as Arizona is a bad team and Fitz has had Fred Jackson running wild and a suspect D picking off a ton of passes.

[T0mShane]

Damn pretty boys, they always get all the money and girls.

It's not as easy as we make it look, buster.

[T0mShane]

Kolb > Fitz ?

Trent Dilfer had an interesting point on Fitzpatrick's style of play. Essentially, he said it was conducive to lighting up bad defenses, but he'd get brutally exposed vs. complex defenses. In other words, he doesn't have the tools to get away with slinging the ball around against the better D's.

[Bleedin Green]

Trent Dilfer had an interesting point on Fitzpatrick's style of play. Essentially, he said it was conducive to lighting up bad defenses, but he'd get brutally exposed vs. complex defenses. In other words, he doesn't have the tools to get away with slinging the ball around against the better D's.

I guess we'll see about that a week from Sunday. Well, you know, assuming he needs to throw if Fred Jackson doesn't run it down the Jets throats all game long.

[JetsFanInDenver]

Trent Dilfer had an interesting point on Fitzpatrick's style of play. Essentially, he said it was conducive to lighting up bad defenses, but he'd get brutally exposed vs. complex defenses. In other words, he doesn't have the tools to get away with slinging the ball around against the better D's.

You mean to say Fitz is a modern day Pennington ..er...i mean one whose name shall never be spoken!

[JetsFanInDenver]

Hard to tell right now as Arizona is a bad team and Fitz has had Fred Jackson running wild and a suspect D picking off a ton of passes.

But Kold does have his share of blame for Arizona being a bad team.

Fitz does have a good run game to back him up.

My focus was more towards the kind of contract Kolb got (63 mill ?) and Fitz getting 59 mill.

[Gainzo]

But Kold does have his share of blame for Arizona being a bad team.

Fitz does have a good run game to back him up.

My focus was more towards the kind of contract Kolb got (63 mill ?) and Fitz getting 59 mill.

Kolb is a couple of years younger than Fitz and played under Andy Reid. Fitz went from the Rams to the Bengals (?) to the Bills. Neither of them are going to be great but I would take Kolb over Fitz if those were my only QB choices.

[GimmeShelter]

Trent Dilfer had an interesting point on Fitzpatrick's style of play. Essentially, he said it was conducive to lighting up bad defenses, but he'd get brutally exposed vs. complex defenses. In other words, he doesn't have the tools to get away with slinging the ball around against the better D's.

Agree. He had the Giants game won if he doesn't horribly underthrow two receivers who had the corner beat deep. My opinion of him after that game went back to what I thought of his career prior to this season. Smart QB with limited physical tools who will benefit from a strong running game. A lesser verion of Chad and well behind Sanchez.

[jason423]

If those guarantees are real that is an insane amount of money for a player like Fitzpatrick. Im assuming by first three years they mean 2011-2014 which makes it much better.

[The Troll]

Holy Chad Pennington!

[SweetLee83]

He's not a bad QB and 6 years 60 mil is better than the 63mil Kolb got. Problem is he's already 29 and not elite. Now Buffalo has handcuffed themselves for the next 4-6 years of being a below avg to mediocre team. When they really should be trying to build through the draft. No big time free agents will sign there. So great news it's just us and the pats still.

Were not handcuffed to anything. The deal is basically set up for a 3 year deal, and since there are not guaranteed contracts in the NFL, they can just cut him if they need to. Buffalo is nothing to the Bills since we are always way below the cap and have plenty of room to spend.

[SweetLee83]

and well behind Sanchez.

Hahahahahaha.

[flgreen]

It's basically a 3 year 33m deal. In today's market. Fitz is a decent QB, no not Brady, but a QB you can win with.

The idea of planning to get a QB in the draft is a tad far fetched. QB's coming out are usually the biggest bust potential.

If he doesn't continue to play at a high level they cut bait in 3 years, or sooner if a good QB presents himself. if I were them I'd rather have Fitz at 10 m a year then Holmes

[hollywood nosebleed]

Were not handcuffed to anything. The deal is basically set up for a 3 year deal, and since there are not guaranteed contracts in the NFL, they can just cut him if they need to. Buffalo is nothing to the Bills since we are always way below the cap and have plenty of room to spend.

So 3 years of mediocre play and worse draft position. And yes buffalo is always well under the cap but who was the last big name free agent to sign with you or even be linked to? A wash up T.O who nobody else wanted?

[GREENBEAN]

It's basically a 3 year 33m deal. In today's market. Fitz is a decent QB, no not Brady, but a QB you can win with.

The idea of planning to get a QB in the draft is a tad far fetched. QB's coming out are usually the biggest bust potential.

If he doesn't continue to play at a high level they cut bait in 3 years, or sooner if a good QB presents himself. if I were them I'd rather have Fitz at 10 m a year then Holmes

I was thinking something similar Flgreen. I'm not sure I would "rather" have Fitz over Holmes or not, but to say it's a ridiculous deal when we gave basically the same thing to a WR who touches the ball 2-4 times a game seems rather one sided. no? Fitz is a good Qb who gives some stability to the position for a long ailing team. With their solid running game and Fitz they have the foundation to build on. This is a good move IMO.

[jason423]

I was thinking something similar Flgreen. I'm not sure I would "rather" have Fitz over Holmes or not, but to say it's a ridiculous deal when we gave basically the same thing to a WR who touches the ball 2-4 times a game seems rather one sided. no? Fitz is a good Qb who gives some stability to the position for a long ailing team. With their solid running game and Fitz they have the foundation to build on. This is a good move IMO.

No its all about market values. The Jets maybe overpaid Holmes by a slight margin, but it was more or less in line with his production what the market pays of that production. Fitzpatrick is pretty much way overpaid based on his production. That said its less important to a team like the Bills than the Jets. The Bills are way under the salary cap so it has no bearing on their future while a guy like Holmes not living up to his deal can become crippling. The only people annoyed by the deal will be teams dealing with mediocre journeyman types who just saw their pricetags go way up.

[Kleckineau]

Fitz is really pretty good. Much better than what the Bills have had in recent years and they are very happy to pay him good money based on his proven ability vs paying for potential (which is what the NYJ did with MS.) The Bills already know what they are paying for, Jets did not know for certain what they would get when drafting MS and I would further state that at this point it appears Fitz is the better value.

[jason423]

Fitz is really pretty good. Much better than what the Bills have had in recent years and they are very happy to pay him good money based on his proven ability vs paying for potential (which is what the NYJ did with MS.) The Bills already know what they are paying for, Jets did not know for certain what they would get when drafting MS and I would further state that at this point it appears Fitz is the better value.

How is he better value? Assuming that the deals are essentially the same (and the reports would indicate they are) the two are more or less equivalent. Sanchez produces about 20 yards less a game, which is from his 4 or so less completions a game. Sanchez throws more TDs per game and has less interceptions per game thus far. The only difference is perception. People look at Fitzpatrick as a journeyman on a garbage team, so people go crazy for him thinking he finally "gets it". Sanchez is a high draft pick expected to put a team on his back and carry them to the playoffs, which he has yet to do. Both are basically the same mediocre QB.

[GREENBEAN]

How is he better value? Assuming that the deals are essentially the same (and the reports would indicate they are) the two are more or less equivalent. Sanchez produces about 20 yards less a game, which is from his 4 or so less completions a game. Sanchez throws more TDs per game and has less interceptions per game thus far. The only difference is perception. People look at Fitzpatrick as a journeyman on a garbage team, so people go crazy for him thinking he finally "gets it". Sanchez is a high draft pick expected to put a team on his back and carry them to the playoffs, which he has yet to do. Both are basically the same mediocre QB.

The psyche attached is interesting when comparing two different players. Expectations can have an effect on how someone and they're value can be perceived. That's a good point. I would still venture into the realm that the idea of stability is also of value for the Buffalo Bills. Both for an ailing fan base and with the possibility of luring FA talent to the team. Plus the guy has talent.

[SweetLee83]

So 3 years of mediocre play and worse draft position. And yes buffalo is always well under the cap but who was the last big name free agent to sign with you or even be linked to? A wash up T.O who nobody else wanted?

It'll be worth it if we make the playoffs. A win tonight against Washington and were 5-2 and on track for it. We'll see. I don't care about big name free agents signing here. You don't need to sign a big name free agent to be successful.

A lota good Haynesworth did in Washington, and Namdi isn't doing a ton for Philly either, so.

[Kleckineau]

How is he better value? Assuming that the deals are essentially the same (and the reports would indicate they are) the two are more or less equivalent. Sanchez produces about 20 yards less a game, which is from his 4 or so less completions a game. Sanchez throws more TDs per game and has less interceptions per game thus far. The only difference is perception. People look at Fitzpatrick as a journeyman on a garbage team, so people go crazy for him thinking he finally "gets it". Sanchez is a high draft pick expected to put a team on his back and carry them to the playoffs, which he has yet to do. Both are basically the same mediocre QB.

Better value may not have been the best description I could have chosen but I look at it this way. The Bills basically got to test drive their high cost purchase for a bunch of miles before making a significant investment. They are fully aware of what they are getting. This in turn creates much less risk. NYJ on the otherhand, spent a ton on MS's rookie contract not really knowing what he would develop into.

Much of this also has to do with football pedigree footbal factory vs small school and draft position and the preconcieved notions fans scouts and GMs are handicapped by.

I dont want to get into lists but we all know the stories about low draft pick, ivy league, div 1AA, undrafted free agents that have become stars and it isnt some rarity. I think Fitz will be one of these guys.

[Jetsfan80]

After thinking this over, I think Fitzpatrick deserves every cent of this for beating the Patriots.

[GimmeShelter]

Fitz is really pretty good. Much better than what the Bills have had in recent years and they are very happy to pay him good money based on his proven ability vs paying for potential (which is what the NYJ did with MS.) The Bills already know what they are paying for, Jets did not know for certain what they would get when drafting MS and I would further state that at this point it appears Fitz is the better value.

Sure he is.

[villain_the_foe]

I like Fitz and Im glad that he got the long term deal, however, if Im correct the Bills have lost every game since the extension lol.