New York Jets: 3 Ways Josh McCown won’t be a Ryan Fitzpatrick repeat

3. Set a firm deadline for McCown

One of the biggest issues with the signing of Fitzpatrick in 2016 was the timing. He held up the Jets all the way to the last minute before training camp opened. Once minicamp opened, the Jets should’ve moved on from Fitzpatrick, but they clearly felt they had no other choice.

Fitzpatrick knew how the Jets felt, because they told the media they wanted him back for 2016. So, he held all the leverage in the negotiations. They basically put themselves in a spot where there was a no-win situation. If they loved him so much, why didn’t they re-sign him? And coming off only one good season, why did they re-sign him for so much? It was a lose-lose situation, and it ultimately blew up in the faces of Jets management.

The Jets need to tell McCown there’s a deadline for re-signing with the team and stick to it. No back and forth with him after the imposed deadline, no matter how well 2017 turns out. It doesn’t matter what he reasonable date is either. Set a date, and stick to it. If they do that, they hold all the leverage, because if McCown wants to be back, it will be on their terms.