Sam Bradford cashed in with the Philadelphia Eagles. What does this mean for the contract negotiations between the New York Jets and Ryan Fitzpatrick?
The New York Jets are in a bind with regards to Ryan Fitzpatrick, thanks to the Philadelphia Eagles.
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Tuesday was a big day in the life of Sam Bradford. As reported by Conor Orr of NFL.com, Bradford signed a two-year contract for $36 million total, including a $22 million signing bonus. Now, the scene shifts to Florham Park, and the negotiations between the Jets and Fitzpatrick.
Specifically, what does the Bradford price tag do to the Fitzpatrick market price? Connor Hughes of USA Today opined that Fitzpatrick could see a $14-$18 million per year average. Bradford’s average is $18 million based on the terms of his new deal.
Hughes is right, Bradford set the market for Fitzpatrick. It’s not inconceivable that he priced Fitzpatrick too high for the Jets.
Let’s compare the 2015 performances of Fitzpatrick and Bradford:
- Bradford: 346-532, 65% completion, 3,725 yards, 19 touchdowns, 14 interceptions
- Fitzpatrick: 335-562, 59.6% completion, 3,905 yards, 31 touchdowns, 15 interceptions
Fitzpatrick’s season was good for second in Jets’ history in terms of passing yards, reminding fans of Vinny Testaverde‘s 1998 performance. Bradford, in Chip Kelly’s pass-friendly offense, couldn’t manage even 20 touchdowns.
Bradford has not been able to stay on the field. In 80 career games, he has been active and started 63 of them. He has started 16 games in only two of his five career seasons. Despite showing moments of his potential, Bradford hasn’t been on the field long enough to realize it. Some of it comes from his revolving door of coaches, but some is on him. He has never materialized to the player worth the number one pick in the 2010 draft.
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Hughes may be right on the $14-$18 million value. But, if Bradford is worth $18 million per season, one could argue that Fitzpatrick could be worth $19 or $20 million. Why not? His performance last season was far better than Bradford’s, was it not?
Now, the ball is in general manager Mike Maccagnan’s court. The Jets need Fitzpatrick more than Fitzpatrick needs the Jets. Yes, Fitzpatrick is a perfect fit for the Jets’ offense with Chan Gailey coordinating the offense. But this league is a business. Being a fit somewhere just isn’t everything. It’s all about the money, and talented quarterbacks are at a premium. If the Jets won’t pay him, another team will, just watch.
From the Jets’ perspective, this will impact the salary cap quite a bit. Darryl Slater of the Star-Ledger tweeted the following:
If Jets cut Kerley, Giacomini, Cumberland, they'll be about $13.775M under cap, including Wilkerson's tag number. https://t.co/luod1IT4Pr
— Darryl Slater (@DarrylSlater) March 1, 2016
All three of the above cuts are expected. They either make too much, have no real role, or both. With that said, Bradford’s cap hit, according to Over the Cap, is $12.5 million. If the Jets add a similar number to the mix, it won’t leave much room for signing players like Damon Harrison or Bilal Powell.
On the other hand, if Fitzpatrick leaves, who do the Jets start at quarterback? We need to see a lot more from Bryce Petty for anyone to believe that he is ready to take the next step. And if Geno Smith is put back into the starting role, Jets’ fans might riot at One Jets Drive. Nobody believes he is the guy, and many think he will be gone before the season begins.
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They don’t seem to be interested in Colin Kaepernick. Could Robert Griffin III be the answer? The evidence seems to say otherwise. There just aren’t any answers at the quarterback position that will keep the team moving forward, other than Fitzpatrick.
The Jets need Fitzpatrick, but thanks to Bradford, he will come at a hefty price. Whether it is too much remains to be seen, and it certainly will be interesting. Stay tuned.