Analyzing the Jets' signing of Ryan Fitzpatrick

Since The Jets finally signed Ryan Fitzpatrick, they hope to finally surpass the Patriots (photo source:  cbs boston)

Multiple reports surfaced late yesterday that The New York Jets signed quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to a one year deal worth $12 million per year with an additional $3 million in incentives. While Jets players and fans can breathe a sigh of relief over the resolution of this distraction, the news isn't all rosy in The Meadowlands. Reportedly, the Jets will have to find nearly $3 million in cap space to make this happen. That means someone's getting cut. Is it Geno Smith? The locker room clearly voiced its lack of confidence in Smith when the likes of Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall publically pleaded with the team and Fitz to come to terms (Marshall going public with news that should remain behind closed doors is nothing new). Perhaps restructuring Decker's contract so that part of his $6.5 million this year can be added to his smaller salary of $1.5 million next season.

Clearly, signing Fitzpatrick and acquiring of other key veterans such as left tackle Ryan Clady and RB Matt Forte, signal the Jets "go for broke" mentality going into the 2015-6 season. That usually is the strategy taken by teams that believe a similar move would put them in serious contention for a Super Bowl championship (e.g. the Arizona Cardinals). Someone needs to remind the Jets that they failed to make the playoffs last year with mostly the same group. Yes, they brought in Forte, but they lost Chris Ivory, whose downhill running back was a good compliment to the Jets' loaded receiving corps. Forte has been arguably the best all around back in the league for the last several years, but he's now on the wrong side of 30.

After the season CB Darrelle Revis, LB David Harris, Marshall, K Nick Folk, and Fitzpatrick all become free agents. So perhaps its now or never for Gang Green.

Additionally, the Jets have a BRUTAL schedule out of the gate. If the objective is to get a jump start of the Brady-less Pats, it will be tough to do so with the opener at home vs. the Bengals, followed by games at Buffalo and Kansas City, and then they return home to face the Seahawks. Then they have back-to-back road games at Pittsburgh and then they fly out west to play the formidable Cardinals. If they start the season 3-3, that would be a nice accomplishment, but I don't see that happening.