The middle ground here is the base contract the Jets offered plus incentives for Fitz to earn the money he thinks he deserves. The great part about the not likely to be earned (NLTBE) incentive based contracts (ie. 32+ TDs, 4000 yards, playoffs, etc) is they count against the next years cap if they're earned. I think that's the win-win solution and I'm really surprised it hasn't been wrapped up yet.
To wrap it up both sides have to agree. There is no evidence Fitz is willing to work off of incentives, or that Mac is willing to offer them.
So what happens next year when the Jets think that Petty is ready and Fitz is the back up? The Jets pay $15 million to their back up QB? The bottom line is that the Jets correctly see Fitz as a journeyman stop gap QB who is nothing more than a bridge to a young QB, while Fitz thinks his performance last year makes him a starter, or that he deserves to be paid like one.
If we can't get a deal done with Fitz we should see if Derek Andersen or Tommy Maddox are available. They had one good season in their careers as well.
@Ustadium According to @CharlesRobinson - #Jets are getting frustrated with FA QB Ryan Fitzpatrick's contractual demands.
Since when fitz became Aaron rodgers that he can demand? he is a choker lol that had a good season ( with his signature choke at the end) i dont get how people can even entretain the 10 milion a year for a qb with no arm just cuz he is a nice guy and has good chemistry with the receivers. This is professional football you dont sign a player cuz the team likes him, its their job to perform regardless of who is the QB.
All credit to the GM, this is how you deal with shitbag agents. There's a really easy way to deal with that - don't sign Fitz. He's not Joe Montana.
But he's our best shot at winning a super bowl, despite the fact that he's never been any team he's ever been on's best shot at even making the playoffs.
At this point I don't want Fitz back. We know his ceiling, we know he's a bridge to someone else and I'd be happy taking a cheap roll on someone like RG3 (would prefer Kap but he's under contract) and always having the memories of the gutsy, lucky, decent character that was Fitzmagic. I've no particular desire to see him coming back after all this with more cash and returning to the law of averages that is Fitztragic. Let's move on, lock up a QB we're happy with and concentrate on the rest of the roster.
The one good thing about this is that nobody is crying "Sign him for any $$$ before he goes to P*ts and kills us!!!"