Cimini: Jets Offer to Fitz Tops $7-8 Million

[drsamuel84]

I'm ok SLIGHTLY overpaying the guy for one year but that's it.  I'm wondering if it's more about the guaranteed years than the total dollars.  I have a feeling the Jets are only willing to guarantee him one year with a team option and that could be the major holdup.  Two years wouldn't be awful just as an insurance policy/veteran presence but I'd prefer a front loaded contract so we're not paying him to sit on the bench next year.

[Jetsfan80]

27 minutes ago, Sperm Edwards said:

From where did you hear that he received an offer from Denver? To the best of my knowledge, the only team that has made any offer at all is the Jets.

From this article, it would seem we are and have always been the top bidder - an even higher bidder than we realized before - so it's unlikely anyone else even bothered to make an offer for millions less than he had on the table from the Jets.

You're right.  They merely reached out to Fitzpatrick, and it became clear they didn't want to meet his demands.  No offer was ever made as far as I can find.

[no psls]

57 minutes ago, PatsFanTX said:

Why would you want to spend $21MM on a below average NFL QB?

 

[Villain The Foe]

6 minutes ago, no psls said:

He's still our best option .

Which would be sad if true. 

[Sperm Edwards]

11 minutes ago, no psls said:

He's still our best option .

We'll never know for sure if we just hand him a job that nobody else would. 

[Jetsfan80]

12 minutes ago, Sperm Edwards said:

We'll never know for sure if we just hand him a job that nobody else would. 

Meh, this is the part of this argument that I disagree with.  You've said it yourself that QB is unlike any position on the field, where starters get paid gobs of money and its impossible to hide their flaws like at other positions, where its a rotation.  The coaching staff sees Bryce Petty as a backup right now.  Geno Smith is a pointless option.  We don't want to force a rookie onto the field immediately if we can avoid it.  And Fitz isn't costing "gobs of money", as even at $9-10M he'd be the lowest paid starter not named Nick Foles or in the middle of a rookie deal. 

The "We'll never know for sure" argument doesn't really work as a result.  Of course we know he'd be the best option on the roster for Week 1.  And he'd make a solid mentor for whatever rookie we draft.  I'd prefer to pay him $7M to do the job, but $9M or so isn't some awful decision, with the assumption that Macc will design the contract to be able to get out of it easily after 2016 if need be.

 

[munchmemory]

23 minutes ago, Sperm Edwards said:

What I know is he's destined to have a worse season. Too many things lined up too perfectly for him to repeat those numbers.

And frankly, if things somehow did line up that well again, I still wouldn't want Fitz in there. I'd want a rookie with an actual future to benefit from that cushy situation, not a 33-34 year old journeyman.

Exactly what 99% of us old time Jet fans are thinking.

[Sperm Edwards]

13 minutes ago, Jetsfan80 said:

Meh, this is the part of this argument that I disagree with.  You've said it yourself that QB is unlike any position on the field, where starters get paid gobs of money and its impossible to hide their flaws like at other positions, where its a rotation.  The coaching staff sees Bryce Petty as a backup right now.  Geno Smith is a pointless option.  We don't want to force a rookie onto the field immediately if we can avoid it.  And Fitz isn't costing "gobs of money", as even at $9-10M he'd be the lowest paid starter not named Nick Foles or in the middle of a rookie deal. 

The "We'll never know for sure" argument doesn't really work as a result.  Of course we know he'd be the best option on the roster for Week 1.  And he'd make a solid mentor for whatever rookie we draft.  I'd prefer to pay him $7M to do the job, but $9M or so isn't some awful decision.

 

The caveat to your rookie comment is that we only don't want to put a rookie onto the field if he's unworthy.  Teams get surprised by their backup players plenty often enough. Had the regular starter in those situations not been injured, they wouldn't have known either. It happens plenty.

Had Fitzpatrick been the incumbent starter - coming off his 2015 statistical season - with the 2012 Seahawks, then Russell Wilson sits as a rookie. The only reason he was even given a real chance is because Matt Flynn isn't even half the QB Fitzpatrick is, and even still it was a huge shocker that Wilson got the starting nod.

The point - and the reason he'd be the league's lowest-paid veteran starter - is Fitzpatrick is not a regular starter (or future hopeful) like the rest. He's a seat-warmer. This team - and every other team - has no high hopes for him. Even the Texans chose to take wild stabs in the dark instead of Fitz, because they saw enough of him to know he just wastes time. They chose poorly last year, and they're right up to take their next swing with Osweiller this year. But they weren't sitting on Fitzmeh for any longer than they had to. They saw where that leads first hand with Schaub: nowhere.

Teams often need to take a swing and miss before they swing and connect. (In some cases, like the Jets we need dozens of swings and misses). Fitzpatrick delays an inevitable swing and miss that ushers in the next swing attempt.

Therefore you bring him in under a backup/marginal starter's salary ($7M) and put him onto the field a worst case scenario if no one with actual upside has shown enough yet be the starter. The team can't be locked into him at upwards of $11M per year when the true desired goal is to have him off the field.

[The Crusher]

1 hour ago, Jetsfan80 said:

Blah.  You all know I like Fitz.  But why would we pay a cent more than we feel he's worth, and/or whatever his top offer from Denver was?  We're only competing with ourselves here at the moment.

Don't think they will.  If they over pay him for a 4-6 win season it may put a large nail in this regimes coffin.  Better off going after a young unknown quantity or even going with Geno.  Sadly 2-4 wins > 4-6 wins at this point. 

[Sperm Edwards]

Just now, The Crusher said:

Don't think they will.  If they over pay him for a 4-6 win season it may put a large nail in this regimes coffin.  Better off going after a young unknown quantity or even going with Geno.  Sadly 2-4 wins > 4-6 wins at this point. 

He thinks we will repeat or improve upon last year's 10 win season if we only bring back Fitzpatrick. Meanwhile if the Jets really believed that he'd be locked up on a 3 year $45M deal already.

[Beerfish]

Tops 7 or 8 million?  which is you dummy Cimini, 7 or 8?

[The Crusher]

6 minutes ago, Sperm Edwards said:

He thinks we will repeat or improve upon last year's 10 win season if we only bring back Fitzpatrick. Meanwhile if the Jets really believed that he'd be locked up on a 3 year $45M deal already.

Be nice but I just can't buy into it.  He is a year older, he was playing for his NFL life last year, schedule was baby poop soft and more than anything the last Buffalo game.  Like doing 57 miles an hour in a Yugo, pretty impressive for a 0.9 litre engine  but everyone is still passing you.

[Jetsfan80]

53 minutes ago, Sperm Edwards said:

He thinks we will repeat or improve upon last year's 10 win season if we only bring back Fitzpatrick. Meanwhile if the Jets really believed that he'd be locked up on a 3 year $45M deal already.

I obviously don't know what our ceiling for wins will be next year with Fitz.  But I think people who think we're going to be terrible are incorrect.  We don't know how hard the schedule will be, we didn't lose much, we're not that old, and we're going to see guys like Leonard Williams and Mauldin develop.  Not to mention Todd Bowles has a year under his belt.  I certainly don't see us getting swept by the Bills, for instance. 

I don't think we're treading water by bringing back Fitz, nor are we blocking a rookie QB from seeing the field next season.  This regime knows Fitz isn't the future.

[Nick Blitz]

I was a big Fitz supporter last year, but after all this I dont even want him back anymore.

Why waste the little time we have with the NFL's top WR duo on a bridge QB who isn't cut out to lead us to a championship. Throw in a youngster and let him develop with the weapons we have.

[JustInFudge]

58 minutes ago, The Crusher said:

Don't think they will.  If they over pay him for a 4-6 win season it may put a large nail in this regimes coffin.  Better off going after a young unknown quantity or even going with Geno.  Sadly 2-4 wins > 4-6 wins at this point. 

100%.  Ryan Fitzpatrick literally provides absolutely nothing to this team.  

[Rangers9]

The most popular players are backup Qbs until they start playing. Mac knows that he could be committing career harakiri if he makes a mistake at the Qb position. Esp after a good year. So to make a big deal over a couple of million dollars isn't smart and he's an intelligent guy. He knows that Fitz in 2016 gives us our best chance to win. 

[The Crusher]

4 minutes ago, JiF said:

100%.  Ryan Fitzpatrick literally provides absolutely nothing to this team.  

Half a dozen or so " wow what a warrior moments". Other than that we saw the entire show last year. ( spoiler) He dies in the end.  No need for an encore. 

[ChuckkieB]

The fact that Fitz hasn't been signed yet speaks volumes as to how the rest of the league value's him as well as how the Jets value him.  I think the Jets are drafting a QB in the first round, regardless whether or not they sign Fitz.  

[Warfish]

Just now, ChuckkieB said:

The fact that Fitz hasn't been signed yet speaks volumes as to how the rest of the league value's him as well as how the Jets value him.  I think the Jets are drafting a QB in the first round, regardless whether or not they sign Fitz.  

Perhaps.

Or it speaks volumes on how they feel about him at $12 million/year for three years, his reported asking price.

It seems clear no one sees Fitz (rightfully so) as a big $$ long-term starter.

But at a reduced cost, the Jets reported offer of $7 mil a year/2 years say, an offer Fitz has refused while jobs have filled up, there may have been more interest than we can know.  We know it was reported other teams spoke with Fitz, we simply don't know how flexible Fitz was at that time on his offer (guess:  not very). 

Seems obvious to me that Fitz and the Jets agreed to let Fitz test his market value, that if Fitz could get 12 mil, good for him, the Jets would say goodbye and wish him well, but that if that interest did not exist, the Jets still want him back, to start, at $7-8 mil per season.

Fitz, at this point, is running out of options, and I would wager will sign with us for the 7-8/2 years before the draft.

[drdetroit]

$7-8 million for 2-3 seasons is what Fitz is worth I don't care Bradford got that dumb contract

[KRL]

As was stated on the "Boomer & Carton" show about a week ago, I believe we've agreed to a
contract with Fitzpatrick.  A big indication of this is how quiet the agent has been in not
leaking info to the media and getting them to write "sympathy" stories.  As we head towards
the draft I believe the "dominoes" will fall like this:

- Maccagnan finds a trade partner for Wilkerson (CHI?)

- We give them permission to work out a contract with Wilkerson's agent

- Once that's agreed upon we'll announce the trade and complete the Fitzpatrick contract

One thing we should know by now is when things are "too quiet" around the team moves are
in the works

[Mike135]

Now when they say it "tops 7-8mil", that could be over multiple years right?

So maybe it's 12mil, a ludicrous number for someone like Fitz.  

But maybe it's 12mil total over two years?  Perhaps Cimini left that part out just to F w/us?

Seems doubtful, but hoping Macc hasn't gone insane.

[Snell41]

At this point all the Jets are competing with is Fitz threatening retirement.  They have no reason to up their offer.  None.  The only thing that could potentially create competition for Fitz is if SF trades Kaep and decides to get in the ring for Fitz (so very doubtful).  The Jets allowed Fitz to test the market.  The market has spoken.  7-8m is frankly a lot at this point because not one team is willing to take him for anything more than a backup.  He had a good year last year.  He's very unlikely to duplicate it, although I think he can maintain serviceability.  It's certainly not setting the franchise back long term if they don't sign him. 

[Sperm Edwards]

15 minutes ago, Jetsfan80 said:

I obviously don't know what our ceiling for wins will be next year with Fitz.  But I think people who think we're going to be terrible are incorrect.  We don't know how hard the schedule will be, we didn't lose much, we're not that old, and we're going to see guys like Leonard Williams and Mauldin develop.  Not to mention Todd Bowles has a year under his belt.  I certainly don't see us getting swept by the Bills, for instance. 

I don't think we're treading water by bringing back Fitz, nor are we blocking a rookie QB from seeing the field next season.  This regime knows Fitz isn't the future.

There's a wide difference between being terrible and being a serious contender. You seem to think - or are choosing to paint - everyone who is saying we're not Super Bowl contenders as believing we'll be terrible.

Oh, and BTW, before that first Bills game started you didn't think we'd get swept by them last year either. Yet it happened. And while the regime likely knows Fitz isn't the long term future, if he's healthy enough to step onto the field he's going to be the short-term starter this season pretty much no matter what. Absent an injury or extreme meltdown for an extended period, Bowles isn't putting another QB out there. He likes Fitz and Bowles doesn't bench people he likes.

Barring incredible stupid luck of last year's proportions again, the schedule will be harder than last in 2015. Even teams we played, who didn't finish with bad records, had so many significant injuries that merely looking at their final record doesn't reflect how depleted they were when we played them. But if it repeated, give that cushy schedule to someone who might be the long term starter.

[Mike135]

9 minutes ago, Warfish said:

We know it was reported other teams spoke with Fitz, we simply don't know how flexible Fitz was at that time on his offer (guess:  not very). 

It may be true other teams spoke to Fitz, but I don't think it was contract related.  Or at least not how we're looking at it.

My guess is teams heard Ftiz's demands and began wondering if he had some mental health issues.  With all this focus on CTE and brain injury lately, a Harvard grad going completely insane is definitely worth looking into.  

[ChuckkieB]

3 minutes ago, Warfish said:

Perhaps.

Or it speaks volumes on how they feel about him at $12 million/year for three years, his reported asking price.

It seems clear no one sees Fitz (rightfully so) as a big $$ long-term starter.

But at a reduced cost, the Jets reported offer of $7 mil a year/2 years say, an offer Fitz has refused while jobs have filled up, there may have been more interest than we can know.  We know it was reported other teams spoke with Fitz, we simply don't know how flexible Fitz was at that time on his offer (guess:  not very). 

Seems obvious to me that Fitz and the Jets agreed to let Fitz test his market value, that if Fitz could get 12 mil, good for him, the Jets would say goodbye and wish him well, but that if that interest did not exist, the Jets still want him back, to start, at $7-8 mil per season.

Fitz, at this point, is running out of options, and I would wager will sign with us for the 7-8/2 years before the draft.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if Fitz signs with the Jets on a contract that's favorable to the Jets because there just doesn't seem to be a market for him elsewhere at this point. He severely overestimated his worth based on one good year out of a whole career of mediocrity, and no other team in the league drank the cool aid, so here we are.  Regardless of whether he signs with the Jets or not, I truly believe that they are taking a QB in the 1st round.

 

[77DRAFT]

3 hours ago, PatsFanTX said:

Even Pats fans have eyes.

eyes along with video of other teams practices and signals.

[mphtrilogy]

9 minutes ago, Snell41 said:

At this point all the Jets are competing with is Fitz threatening retirement.  They have no reason to up their offer.  None.  The only thing that could potentially create competition for Fitz is if SF trades Kaep and decides to get in the ring for Fitz (so very doubtful).  The Jets allowed Fitz to test the market.  The market has spoken.  7-8m is frankly a lot at this point because not one team is willing to take him for anything more than a backup.  He had a good year last year.  He's very unlikely to duplicate it, although I think he can maintain serviceability.  It's certainly not setting the franchise back long term if they don't sign him. 

Fitz has 5 kids, kids are expensive, I don't see him retiring with $10 mill guaranteed out there.., pays for college and then some.. 

[Ex-Rex]

13 hours ago, PatsFanTX said:

Maybe he is weighing all his options from other teams.

What other teams? Cleveland is out of the picture, Denver has focused on Kaepernick, which is a joke, and then there is who??? Dallas would like him as a backup but wouldn't offer more than the Jets are. In fact it would be significantly less, same for the G-Men and Washington. So who else is out there offering Fitz more than the Jets? NO ONE. If Fitz doesn't sign and the Jets sign a Hoyer or a McCown it will serve him right for being greedy and not making a rational decision based on his actual worth to an NFL team. There is NO WAY he gets 16 million unless it is over two years.

[Mainejet]

16 hours ago, TuscanyTile2 said:

Plus with his style of play (he dives for extra yardage) he's likely to get injured.  Without that aggressive style of play he's not as good a QB.  Basically he needs every edge he can get to be middle-of-the-pack.  Last year he was very good but I don't think he can play much better (if at all).  I'm fine w/ 1 year and a team option for year 2 at a low salary (e.g. $7M).  I'll trust Macc on this one whatever he decides though I do hope he finds us our QB of the future in the draft.

If the Jets are pitching their contract offer to Fitz the right way, then there is a clause in there that will pay extra money assuming he stays healthy. Everyone knows Fitz plays the game hard, but it's more important then ever that Fitz must learn to slide. 

[Snell41]

5 minutes ago, mphtrilogy said:

Fitz has 5 kids, kids are expensive, I don't see him retiring with $10 mill guaranteed out there.., pays for college and then some.. 

I agree.  But like I said all the more we stick to 7-8m tops.  The market sets value, not necessarily performance.  The market has spoken, nobody is interested in him as a starter. 

[Mike135]

Also, (maybe this is just really wishful thinking on my part) perhaps this is all a smokescreen.  Obviously the Jets don't need Fitz back.  They've let him test the market for months.  A team that feels they need a certain QB doesn't do that.  We've gone about our business signing players as needed.  Certainly could have signed Fitz by now if we really wanted to.

Maybe Macc n Bowles are actually confident in Geno or Petty.  But why show their hand?  Why allow our 2016 opponents to plan for us now?  Chances are defensive schemes factor in Fitz now.  Meaning tight safeties and covering mainly 15yds or less.

If the Jets don't plan to pay Fitz over 7, I'd say it's best to at least give the illusion we will.  Keep D-coordinators guessing as long as possible.

[jack48]

Last year the stars came together for Fitz until Buffalo.  The stars never come together in Buffalo.  He will not repeat or improve on that performance this season.  You do not pay for past performance.  You pay for what you expect he will do this season

[jack48]

3 hours ago, no psls said:

You're a pats fan - DROP DEAD !!!!!!!!!!

I would not pay it for an average one.  

[PatsFanTX]

What other teams? Cleveland is out of the picture, Denver has focused on Kaepernick, which is a joke, and then there is who??? Dallas would like him as a backup but wouldn't offer more than the Jets are. In fact it would be significantly less, same for the G-Men and Washington. So who else is out there offering Fitz more than the Jets? NO ONE. If Fitz doesn't sign and the Jets sign a Hoyer or a McCown it will serve him right for being greedy and not making a rational decision based on his actual worth to an NFL team. There is NO WAY he gets 16 million unless it is over two years.

Look up, something is flying over your head.