NFL free agency has slowed to a trickle, and with that slow down, we are seeing a few of the remaining quarterbacks land a job. Last week, Blaine Gabbert signed with the Arizona Cardinals. This week, Ryan Fitzpatrick has agreed to a contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The team announced the move Friday morning.
Jameis Winston is the clear starter in Tampa Bay, while the team saw backup Mike Glennon depart in free agency. The Bucs re-signed Ryan Griffin and signed Sean Renfree to a reserve/future contract. Griffin will compete with Fitzpatrick for the No. 2 role behind Winston.
Fitzpatrick had a strong 2015 season, but he and the New York Jets struggled to get a deal done. Fitzpatrick wanted to cash in on his big season, while the Jets wanted to see if it was a flash in the pan year. They eventually agreed to a one-year deal, and Fitzpatrick proved it was in fact a flash in the pan year. In 2016, he completed 56.6 percent of his passes for 2,710 yards, with 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He averaged 6.73 yards per attempt, and ranked dead last in passer rating.
With his signing and the retirements of Jay Cutler and Tony Romo, the free agency market includes Robert Griffin III, Shaun Hill, Luke McCown, and I’m sure I’m missing at least one other unsigned QB.