I prefer facts from games than glorified pitch and catch. Though I hope Geno really has turned the corner.
See the rest of the offer. As per ESPN, after Fitz pockets the 12M in 2016, he gets a 2 year 12M total contract that only the Jets can terminate. It's still better than any other team would give, but it's understandable why Fitz hasn't signed it yet.
So Mac is willing to somewhat overpay for the 1st year. 2nd year same pay if no other QB emerges. In other words, Fitz would be getting premium $$ in exchange for Mac's flexibility. Considering that at worst Fitz will increase his carrier total $$ by a 30%, how the hell is it a low balling?
I'm not going to sit here & say Fitzpatrick didn't have a decent season last year in regards to TD's thrown but as a fan he's really starting to frustrate me. Who does Fitzpatrick really think he is? Some type of top 10 QB? When in reality he's not. He's not even a top 15-20 NFL Quarterback. He's an aging QB who's turning 34 years old this up coming season with limitations such as a weak arm in which can not utilize the speed of young receivers such as a Devin Smith for a deep threat. In my opinion he's a career journeyman backup QB with physical limitations. Fitzpatrick ranked 24th in QB Rating last year with a QB Rating of only 88. 24th in QB Rating? Are you kidding me? Fitzpatrick ranked 29th in completion percentage at only 59%. 29th in QB completion percentage? For a QB who's supposedly an accurate quarterback? But yet only ranked 29th in accuracy/completion percentage? Fitzpatrick ranked a whopping 27th in average yards per pass attempt. 27th? That is awful. Fitzpatrick only ranked 22nd in passing yards per game. 22nd with the likes of Marshall & Decker behind a power run game? Only ranked 22nd in pass yards per game? Fitzpatrick also tossed up 15 INT's. Which doesn't sound like a lot but he still threw for the 5th most INT's of any QB last year. He's the definition of a mediocre QB. Placing 10th in TD's thrown (last year) does not change the fact that A.) He's a career journeyman. B.) He's aging soon to turn 34 this up coming season. C.) He has limitations consisting of a weak arm in which handicaps his offenses & D.) Ranked 22nd in passing yards per game, 24th in QB Rating, 27th in yards per pass attempt, 29th in completion % with the 5th most thrown INT's of any QB. Yea. Right. Some "great season" the man really had. I'd rather see a 4th year QB in Geno being blessed with weapons such as Marshall, Decker & Forte as a dynamic trio along with a deep threat in Smith. I'd even consider a 2nd year kid in Petty or a rookie with some type of potential in Hackenberg before wasting our offensive talents on Fitzpatrick who, even during his "career year" at the age of 33 still had a mediocre season when 'statistically speaking'.
The most honest characterization of the offer is a 3Y/24M deal with 12M guaranteed plus up to 12M in what are probably unlikely to be earned incentives. It's slightly better than what Chase Daniel got. While it's Fitz's best available offer, I can see why he's still trying to get a little more out of Macc.
I don't think Fitz is as smart as people think. Because why in hell would he want to comeback to the Jets when he could had sign with Denver? Now if he just in the NFL to just make as much money as he can then ok I get it. But do you really want a guy like that on your team,?
Kubiak's offense is a bad scheme fit for Fitz. Right now, Fitz's posturing doesn't bother me. He isn't missing anything important and he isn't holding out like Revis did. If he won't sign by training camp, then I'll change my mind and move on.
He couldn't sign with Denver, they never made him an offer..he visited, they said no thanks you want to much..end of story. Oh and he is smart..he's a Harvard grad.
That my point. He knew he wasn't getting anything near what he wants. Why sign for less with the Jets when he could sign for less with Denver and a hell of a lot better chance of going to a SB.
I don't care either. In fact I think the coaching stuff like it Fitz not there. More reps for the younger QB's.
To quote Bart Scott: "Fitz don't have a leg to stand on, man,” Scott said in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio. “He is who he is. You can have great teams and great records, but at this point, pretty much everybody knows who he is. He's a quality guy. On another 20 teams in the league, he would be a backup. The only teams that he would start for are the teams that have bad quarterback situations. He's a bridge guy, a glue guy." I completely understand he is trying to get as much $$ as he can but there aint no place in the NFL where he will even sniff close to $12M over 2 years, let alone in the first year. I want him back but I'm getting on board with the idea that Macc needs to start decreasing the offer as time goes on.
I understand why he is trying to squeeze a bit more. In essence Mac is setting up a 1-yr $12M rental. Of course Fitz wants more, but I bet there is a deadline, and it's approaching fast. Hence all the leakage after 2months of silence.
You gotta think Mac is just as concerned with the Jets moving forward as Bowles is with THIS year's results. Bowles clearly wants Fitz, who may win 1 or 2 (3?) more games than Geno, Petty, and Christian combined. Mac, on the other hand, is a new GM and NOT on the hot seat. He has totally latitude to steer the team to the Lambardi, even if it means sacrificing a few wins this season to get his young QB's (the future of his team) some playing time now, especially if he feels we are not SB contenders (yet). Mac won't handcuff the team's cap space going forward, nor will he offer Fitz a contract that forces his hand 2, maybe 3 yrs from now while his 'future QBs' wilt on the bench. Clearly, at most, Mac is willing to bring Fitz back for a low price (for a starting QB) with no zero guarantees beyond this season. Jets could be the only team with 4 QBs on the roster. Yikes.
Putting aside fact that Denver never actually made an offer, yes I think Fitz would rather play for Jets @12 than for Denver @6 (or whatever they'd give him).
