The Importance Of Ryan Fitzpatrick
June 21st, 2018
Key signing.
As we enter late June, it is still unclear what the NFL will do with America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, in relation to his hassle with an Uber driver.
That’s why one of the most important player transactions this offseason by Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht was to re-sign backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Jenna Laine of ESPN studies the move.
The Bucs took care of business in-house too, securing quarterback Jameis Winston’s two favorite targets — wide receiver Mike Evans and tight end Cameron Brate — to long-term deals, and bringing back quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. He’ll continue to be a steadying force for Winston and serve as insurance amid Winston’s league investigation for allegedly groping a female Uber driver.
The way Fitz played last year, he did well for a backup, despite looking downright awful in training camp.
Fitz was 2-1 as a starter. His one loss can’t be hung on him as someone paid a boatload of Team Glazer loot couldn’t figure out a way to put Brent Grimes on Julio Jones.
And Fitz damned near pulled a win out of his arse at Arizona, tossing three second-half touchdown passes after Jameis was (officially) first injured — and the Bucs defense pretended over-the-hill Adrian Peterson had the Ebola virus.
Since the report from ESPN Tallahassee voice Jeff Cameron that the representatives of America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, are expecting NFL strongman Roger Goodell to suspend Jameis, the Fitzpatrick re-signing looks borderline genius.
June 21st, 2018 at 8:04 am
This pending suspension is worse than Joe’s obsession with Johnny Manziel…..which also never came to fruition.
June 21st, 2018 at 8:07 am
And WHY do we need to resign Fitzpatrick? He is one of the worst back-up QB’s in the league. He beat two of the worst teams in the league last season. I’d much rather have a younger and talented Ryan Griffth, who was playing much better than Fitz in the preseason be our back-up for much cheaper.
June 21st, 2018 at 8:08 am
Arizona was also awful last season as well.
June 21st, 2018 at 8:12 am
And Winston beat the Bears. So?
June 21st, 2018 at 8:14 am
Winston destroyed the Bears….Fitzpatrick barely beat the Jets and Dolphins.
June 21st, 2018 at 8:17 am
Some of you want Griffin instead of Fitz? Everyone looks good until the bullets are for real. At least we know Fitz is serviceable. Griffin, not so much.
June 21st, 2018 at 8:20 am
Dewey Selmon Says:
June 21st, 2018 at 8:17 am
Some of you want Griffin instead of Fitz? Everyone looks good until the bullets are for real. At least we know Fitz is serviceable. Griffin, not so much.
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You also realize that Fitz played with a talented first unit, while Griffth was relegated to playing with the beer truck drivers, no?
June 21st, 2018 at 8:21 am
Griffin, rather
June 21st, 2018 at 8:24 am
Griffin could have looked a lot better but his offensive line in the preseason was downright awful. Recall Jameis going over to the offensive lineman and telling them to step their game-up on hardknocks.
June 21st, 2018 at 8:26 am
If it is an administrative suspension (failure to report in a timely manner) it will be 1 game. If it is for the alleged groping, at least 4. Fitz IS a good re-signing because he has familiarity with the system and the 1st string. Especially if it is only 1 game.
June 21st, 2018 at 8:36 am
What has griffin showed that makes him more talented and a better opt then someone who’s played in the league. He’s been with the team what three years now and hasn’t beat anyone out for the backup job..
June 21st, 2018 at 8:40 am
Really, two articles on this dead investigation? It’s underwear season for blogs too I guess.
June 21st, 2018 at 8:44 am
Griffin would have beaten out Fitzpatrick for the job last season if not due to injury and was making definite strides over the last two years. Experience is the only thing Fitz has working for him, but at this point in his career, his skillset is clearly diminished. When it’s announced that there will be no forthcoming suspension, I’d like to see Griffin get some first-team reps in preseason to showcase what he can do. Why shy away from competition?
June 21st, 2018 at 8:44 am
@Joe … “Fitzpatrick re-signing looks borderline genius.” Fitz is that steadying influence that Jameis (and Ryan Griffin) need. That more than anything else IMO makes him invaluable. And feelthepewterpower, Arizona was ahead of us 21-0 in the 2nd qtr BEFORE Fitz came in, yet we only (?) lost that game by 5 pts. Folks can say the Cardinals were ‘awful’ but they were 21 pts better than us … offensively AND defensively … in that first half, and 5 pts better at the end of the game.
June 21st, 2018 at 8:58 am
@Joe … “Fitzpatrick re-signing looks borderline genius.” Fitz is that steadying influence that Jameis (and Ryan Griffin) need. That more than anything else IMO makes him invaluable. And feelthepewterpower, Arizona was ahead of us 21-0 in the 2nd qtr BEFORE Fitz came in, yet we only (?) lost that game by 5 pts. Folks can say the Cardinals were ‘awful’ but they were 21 pts better than us … offensively AND defensively … in that first half, and 5 pts better at the end of the game
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And the Buccs put up 27 points in garbage time (defined by a team that is down by 13 points or more going into the fourth quarter).
June 21st, 2018 at 9:03 am
It was 31-6 going into the fourth quarter or “garbage time” of the Buccs-Cards game.
June 21st, 2018 at 9:07 am
Jameis will get a one game suspension. It will be appealed.
The results of the appeal will be released mid season. Could go either way but I say the suspension will be dropped. Either way, Fitz wins that game.
Remember I said this. 💯
June 21st, 2018 at 9:08 am
” the Bucs defense pretended over-the-hill Adrian Peterson had the Ebola virus.”
LMAO! what a visual and a spot on comparison too!
Cardinals saw the defeat in the defenses eyes and Fitz came in started slinging it when the Cards defense was playing soft and gave up some plays, one could argue would they have won with Fitz starting that game ? I don’t think so IMO, they came to play we were very unprepared, we got embarrassed for 3 quarters.
June 21st, 2018 at 9:16 am
Defense rules…also realize that Winston got hurt on the first series of the game at the 9:11 mark on a 3rd and two, but stayed in for a few more series longer until he was removed. Winston essentially only had three plays….went 1 for 2 in which his shoulder was not bothering him.
June 21st, 2018 at 9:21 am
feelthepewterpower- Man, you sure are going to bat for a guy that has NEVER thrown a regular season NFL pass!
Maybe Fitz isn’t the best back-up, but I’ll take him over Griffin any day. In fact I’d take Johny Manziel over Griffin. I’d take Glennon back over Griffin.
I don’t understand the love-fest for Griffin.
Fitz is a capable back-up. He didn’t choose his opponents, he simply beat 2 out of the three he faced. He did his job, plain and simple.
June 21st, 2018 at 9:27 am
feelthepewterpower – I don’t understand what age has to do with a backups ability to perform. I don’t know many people would agree that Griffin is better than Ftis in any capacity. Had that been the case I don’t think the bucs would have resigned Fits to such a lucrative contract for a backup. If Winston is not starting due to injury or suspension I am fully behind Fits. “That’s my quarterback”
June 21st, 2018 at 9:28 am
Buccernutter
I think you might be correct. The NFL/Bucs/Jameis have the same goal which is good for us. They all simply want this behind them.
The NFL sat on this waiting to make sure there were not going to be civil suits or any other action or a big PR war on TMZ. NONE of that has happened!
Still I believe the NFL wants to send a message to Jameis to cool his jets. If it’s one game and we get to appeal it…meaning we could put it off until mid season I can live with that.
Ndog
Yesterday you wondered what I was talking about when I said Jameis better NOT get into anymore off field “stuff”.
Jameis is a multimillionaire…with the potential for a lot more. The price Jameis HAS to pay is total control over his behavior. He’s risking his body, his brain, and there are other hassles…but let’s face it…who wouldn’t trade places with him.
Would you trade places even if the powers that be called you in and said Jameis…you can no longer go out after hours without a bodyguard/witness.
It’s simply called protection…he has plenty of money…or he can stay at home.
Mixing alcohol, partying, ladies, homeboys after midnight rarely turns out well.
Again…Ndog..I love Jameis…just saying his job comes with certain restrictions.
We can all gripe about that but again for the amount of money…I think I could put up with it. lol Remember in order to have the need to protect yourself against “gold diggers” you must have a lot of gold to begin with. So it’s not all bad.
June 21st, 2018 at 9:35 am
The benefactor of the “possible” Winston suspension is Griffin…..he has swallowed up a roster spot for 3 years….still, only to be a 3rd string QB…..if he was good enough, we wouldn’t need Fitz.
My money is on Fitz.
June 21st, 2018 at 9:39 am
doolnutts Says:
June 21st, 2018 at 9:27 am
feelthepewterpower – I don’t understand what age has to do with a backups ability to perform. I don’t know many people would agree that Griffin is better than Ftis in any capacity. Had that been the case I don’t think the bucs would have resigned Fits to such a lucrative contract for a backup. If Winston is not starting due to injury or suspension I am fully behind Fits. “That’s my quarterback”
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I guess you missed the preseason when Griffin was clearly better than Fitzpatrick, even with beer truck receivers, lineman, and rb’s surrounding him. Fitzpatrick will be a good coach someday, but if we’re relying on his physical traits to win us an important football game, I’d rather go with Griffin who has the upside. I can’t get excited over Fitzpatrick beating two of the worst teams in the league last year, and putting up 27 points in garbage time with a talented offense surrounding him, sorry.
June 21st, 2018 at 9:47 am
yippee ki-yay ..laughing stock of the NFL. Thanks, Yameis, hope yo stank finger was all worth it.
June 21st, 2018 at 9:49 am
34-20 loss at Atlanta, a good team….Fitz’s numbers:
C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT SACKS QBR RTG
Ryan Fitzpatrick 27/44 283 6.4 0 0 1-4 66.5 80.0
44 attempts and still under 300 yards, with garbage time included. Poor QBR, poor rating. 0 td’s….
Yet, we’d rather have Fitz in a pinch?
June 21st, 2018 at 9:56 am
Fitz is a solid back up…..He’s a middle of the road game manager with substantial starting experience, I have more faith in him then Griffin. Griffin is 3rd year project….as a backup. Step 1 for him is performing at a level where he surpasses Fitz…..Griffin has yet to do that so the “upside” people reference is a mystery to me.
June 21st, 2018 at 9:59 am
Ryan Griffin… lets have a pool on what he injures in preseason.
June 21st, 2018 at 10:04 am
Bobby M. Says:
June 21st, 2018 at 9:56 am
Fitz is a solid back up…..He’s a middle of the road game manager with substantial starting experience, I have more faith in him then Griffin. Griffin is 3rd year project….as a backup. Step 1 for him is performing at a level where he surpasses Fitz…..Griffin has yet to do that so the “upside” people reference is a mystery to me.
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Griffin came over the Buccs in September of 2015 and missed our training camp and preseason….Essentially he’s only had two years under a new offensive system to learn under Koetter (he struggled in the 2016 offseason, but made strides last offseason)….and even then it was really only a year and a half to learn because he was injured last preseason.
When I speak of ‘upside’, I mean in relation to Fitz as a back-up in this point in his career.
June 21st, 2018 at 10:15 am
SCBucsFan Says:
Ryan Griffin… lets have a pool on what he injures in preseason.
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Maybe he injures Fitzpatrick “accidentally” for a roster spot?
June 21st, 2018 at 10:17 am
There’s a much larger chance Jameis gets suspended than almost any other QB on any other team in the league. And even for more than one game. We are the Bucs. NFL enjoys f-cking us over anyway possible with suspensions and no by-weeks and things of that nature.
June 21st, 2018 at 10:29 am
I just read the entire policy on Conduct. As Joe wrote back in April this is the phrase that applies somewhat to Jameis:
“to promptly report any matter that comes to their attention (through, for example, victim or witness reports, law enforcement, or media reports) that may constitute a violation of this Policy.“
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Two things that stand out are Zero allegations were made at the time so I can’t see how there was anything to “Report”
And if the rules on reporting weren’t made until 6 months After the supposed incident, how can you punish someone for not following a rule that didn’t exist at the time?
June 21st, 2018 at 10:31 am
Never seen the day Fitz will be getting praise as a Bucs starter….. Wake me up week 4
June 21st, 2018 at 10:57 am
SB
I’m not truly aware of the facts but I thought Uber told Jameis why his privileges were being suspended.
If they or nobody else informed Jameis of the allegation and the reason for the suspension, then you have a solid point.
June 21st, 2018 at 11:15 am
Does anyone know Fitz caps number? At some point, not this year, we will have to cut him and opt for Griffin. It would be good to give Griffin a shot as the #2 backup.
June 21st, 2018 at 11:16 am
this staff has had more than enough time to form/create a plan around fitz and be ready to roll week1……
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
June 21st, 2018 at 11:28 am
SPBF
If Uber informed him why his account was suspended and he failed to report it not only does he deserve whatever he gets but he is flat out Stupid for not getting ahead of the whole situation. Certainly he could have immediately filed a libel, slander and defamation of character suit right away.
Not only that IF uber did in fact inform him that his account was being suspended because he was being accused of sexual misconduct then he is as Guilty as the day is long IMHO
June 21st, 2018 at 12:01 pm
I said it with Jameis and I’ll say it with Fitzpatrick and most any quarterback that plays in the NFL who is halfway decent if you give them an average to above-average defense every game is winnable if I were the box I would tell James to at least appeal the suspension timing it right to where he would not miss one of the first three or four most important games against good teams and try to time the suspension for a game against a bad team
June 21st, 2018 at 12:04 pm
The fawning over back-up QBs is a time-honored Buc fan tradition. But Griffin fawning is just over the top. If he was good enough to be a #2, he would’ve A) Beat out Fitz OR B) Probably been scooped up by another team by now.
There are so many other back-ups who have actual regular season game experience. Some don’t like Fitz for whatever reason, OK. He’s not perfect. If you’re going to upgrade the position, find someone with experience.
June 21st, 2018 at 12:14 pm
Suspending Winston? I am boycotting anything not Buc related in the NFL and not supporting any sponsor that runs during any Buc game outside local businesses.
June 21st, 2018 at 12:14 pm
SPBF—you can’t punish someone for not reporting to the NFL if the rule did not exist at the time Jameis first learned of the allegation. Likely, the NFL’s Lawyers are explaining the law to their Commissioner after he opened his big mouth about a suspension. And if his Lawyers explain to him he could be personally sued in a 1983 Suit he may be quickly reconsidering. He knows from all the boos at the draft that he is hated by the public around the league. The Bucs should be consulting their own lawyers and get prepared to appeal if a suspension comes down, along with the Union who should be outraged that the NFL without permission of the Union changed the rule requiring only NFL teams to report. If the NFL can change rules negotiated with the Union arbitrarily on their own that should be tested as being an NLRB Violation. I should know being a lawyer with now 42 years of legal experience and counting.
June 21st, 2018 at 12:15 pm
“Hi Jameis, this is Chris calling from the Uber office. I’m following up on a report we had from one of your recent trips where you or someone in the vehicle with you had some inappropriate behavior. I just want to follow up and get some more information on that. Your Uber account is on temporary hold while we investigate the situation. I’ll follow up with e-mail and hopefully we can find a better time to connect.”
Enjoy.
June 21st, 2018 at 12:25 pm
We’ll need all the FitzMagic we can get if Jameis is gone for the first three games (i.e. the toughest part of our schedule)
June 21st, 2018 at 12:33 pm
Now as to the excuse Griffin was playing behind a third string line, it seems to me that is exactly where the diminuative Russel Wilson first started and worked himself up all the way to the first string and has stayed there! I have watched Griffin in the Preseason Games and he is very poor. I watched all of Fitz’s Starts last year and not only was I impressed but so was Jameis who learned from him and I am sure Fitz has helped him in the QB room too. One thing I also noticed is Fitz is much better scoring in the Red Zone than Jameis and when Jameis does play this year if he hasn’t improved markedly in the red zone Koetter would be smart to bring Fitz on to QB every time we are in the red zone! That makes Fitz far superior to Ryan!
June 21st, 2018 at 1:17 pm
We should’ve gone after one of the FA quarterbacks instead of bringing Bum Fitzpatrick back specially not knowing what the future may hold for Jameis.
C’mon Joe, the only reason why we went 2-1 while Fitzpatrick was there was because we played two garbage teams and the defense showed up for two out of those 3 games. He didn’t do anything special and most quarterbacks could’ve put up better numbers during those games.
June 21st, 2018 at 1:33 pm
Feel bad for Fitz because the bucs OL is putrid and going to get him or Griffin killed, wish Licht would give the bucs and Jameis a right side of the OL
June 21st, 2018 at 5:00 pm
feel bad for the fans not fitz….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
June 21st, 2018 at 7:59 pm
This is good writing Joe, that is why most of these posters don’t work for an NFL team. The argument between FitzPatrick and Griffin is nonexistent. Griffin has zero snaps in regular-season games which means no experience. In order for a team to start a quarterback with zero snaps in the regular season, means they have to be a first round draft pick or they have to turn chickenshit into chicken soup. That means they have to go above and beyond the acknowledgment of being superior to everybody else at the position, which Griffin has not done. The only reason coach Koetter said that Griffin had the edge going into camp last year was because he had one season in the playbook under his belt rather than FitzPatrick just coming in. FitzPatrick is a solid back up borderline starter in this league and he has proven to play very well over the years. That being said any team would rather put a games outcome in the hands of a seasoned vet rather than being forced to put the game in the hands of a quarterback with zero snaps taken in the regular season.