WFT signs QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to a one-year deal worth $10 million!... Oh, Oh, Oh Fitzmagic... ya knooowwwww!

[wit33]

I am 100% in support of Fitzpatrick, but he still struggles with interceptions. Even in his highlighted “good” last two years he’s thrown 21ints in 24 games. He’s not proven to be a consistent 2 to 1 and not even close to a 2.5 to to TD/INT QB where most of the top 15 do easily these days. Not in any way an end all be all stat, but in the context of the discussion about him protecting the ball and producing better of late there’s some merit. 
 

I believe the Turner scheme is going to be a big help to him reaching 2 or even 3 to 1 TD/INT ratio. 

[Always A Commander Never A Captain]

7 minutes ago, wit33 said:

I am 100% in support of Fitzpatrick, but he still struggles with interceptions. Even in his highlighted “good” last two years he’s thrown 21ints in 24 games. He’s not proven to be a consistent 2 to 1 and not even close to a 2.5 to to TD/INT QB where most of the top 15 do easily these days. Not in any way an end all be all stat, but in the context of the discussion about him protecting the ball and producing better of late there’s some merit. 
 

I believe the Turner scheme is going to be a big help to him reaching 2 or even 3 to 1 TD/INT ratio. 

 

33 TD's to 21 Int's during those 24 games in Miami.  But it's important to know who he was throwing to.

 

2019:

Devante Parker was considered a bust until Fitzpatrick showed up.  Suddenly he had 458 yards and 5 TD's more than his previous career high.

Mike Geisicki was the hyper athletic 2nd year TE who only had 202 yards and 0 TD's as a rookie.  He then had 368 more yards and 5 TD's more than his rookie season.

...that's it.

 

2020:

Same two guys as 2019...that's it.

 

Not a lot of receiving options to work with down in Miami.  Keep in mind in 2019, people thought it might be the worst roster the NFL has seen in years.  0-16 was guaranteed.  But then the season happened and Fitz dragged them somehow to 5-8 (1st round bust Josh Rosen was responsible for the other 3 losses)

[PartyPosse]

I’m gonna say it. I think Rodgers is the starting QB for the team in week 1. I think GB blew their best chance at a haul the same way we did with Trent. And now that a majority of teams found their QBs GBs trade options are limited.

[RWJ]

NFL social media trying to do their best National Enquirer reports.  SMH.  Don't believe the Aaron Rodgers hype people!

[wit33]

4 minutes ago, Alcoholic Zebra said:

 

33 TD's to 21 Int's during those 24 games in Miami.  But it's important to know who he was throwing to.

 

2019:

Devante Parker was considered a bust until Fitzpatrick showed up.  Suddenly he had 458 yards and 5 TD's more than his previous career high.

Mike Geisicki was the hyper athletic 2nd year TE who only had 202 yards and 0 TD's as a rookie.  He then had 368 more yards and 5 TD's more than his rookie season.

...that's it.

 

2020:

Same two guys as 2019...that's it.

 

Not a lot of receiving options to work with down in Miami.  Keep in mind in 2019, people thought it might be the worst roster the NFL has seen in years.  0-16 was guaranteed.  But then the season happened and Fitz dragged them somehow to 5-8 (1st round bust Josh Rosen was responsible for the other 3 losses)

Im in support of and even have high expectations for him. My hope is with the talent and scheme it can continue his upward trend and take it to a more consistent high level of play. 

I also wonder if he can understand his role in some games and allow the run game and defense to dominate— manage the game. Think macro not micro. 
 

It’s cool to gunsling on bad teams with low expectations, but Washington roster is quickly shaping up to be a contender and we don’t not to be entertained. 

 

[mistertim]

21 minutes ago, PartyPosse said:

I’m gonna say it. I think Rodgers is the starting QB for the team in week 1. I think GB blew their best chance at a haul the same way we did with Trent. And now that a majority of teams found their QBs GBs trade options are limited.

 

Rodgers probably doesn't want to play here. Technically that doesn't matter since his contract doesn't have a no-trade clause...but Rodgers is the kind of douche who would tell a team that if he's traded to them he'll refuse to play.

 

He isn't coming here.

[Skinsinparadise]

 

Fitz is a smart guy.  He wants to win.  I don't think the point is lost on him that he's going to for a change a team with arguably a fairly loaded roster.  He's talked about it in some of his interviews about lucking out coming here.

 

It's also not lost on him he's never played in the playoffs.   His goal isn't to entertain but to win.  What's entertaining about him is he will give his receivers chances to win contested balls in a way that many other QBs are afraid to do.   And he's an entertaining personality.   I think his weakness and strength is a double edge sword that carries through today.  When his team is behind and its late in the game he takes chances.  And sometimes too many chances.  IMO he needs to stay cool and be more methodical in those situatuons.

 

He's a really good locker room guy, too.  I am not saying we are set for life at QB.  Clearly we are not.  But IMO he was the best FA we could land.  And I think those that are hung up on the old narratives about Fitz and think he's full of crap when he says he is playing his best football now -- I think they likely will be pleasantly surprised.  But will see. 

 

https://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/311082/why-dolphins-players-love-ryan-fitzpatrick-hes-the-man

 

Fitzpatrick's response to the outside noise was turning in a 99.1 QBR rating -- the best total QBR of any quarterback all season and tied for 18th best since at least 2006 -- in a dominant 43-17 win against the San Francisco 49ers. It was the exclamation point on what has been a solid season so far for Fitzpatrick, who ranks fifth in total QBR through five weeks.

Dolphins players and coaches couldn't be more ecstatic, because while Tagovailoa represents the franchise's future, they all love their present in Fitzpatrick.

There isn't a more respected player in Miami's locker room than the 2005 seventh-round pick by the St. Louis Rams. In an effort to describe why Fitzpatrick, who is nicknamed FitzMagic, is so beloved in Miami, ESPN has collected what players and coaches have been saying about their leader.

The top offensive weapons

Mike Gesicki, tight end: "He's the greatest teammate I've played with. He's always having fun. Just the things that he does on the field, the energy that he brings, and the confidence that he gives out to everybody else, it's contagious. Playing with him, the thing that makes him special is that he makes the guys around him better players. If I could play with him for the next 15 years, I would do it. He's the man. I love playing with him and he's helped me out a ton, so I'll always be appreciative of him."

Preston Williams, wide receiver: "He was piped up. The whole day -- flight, really even. Fitz is always ready. He comes ready to play every week. ... Like I said, he's always got that energy out there on the offense, so we feed off that."

The mentee and franchise QB

Tagovailoa: "Fitz is just a wholesome person. The way he is out on the field is the same way he is off the field. I don't think there's really a distinct change in who he is. I mean, what you see out there is really who Fitz is. He's a coach. He's a mentor on and off the field. But he's also a very, very family-oriented person. Very loving. Very caring for guys. And he's funny, too. He's really funny."

The protectors

Jesse Davis, right tackle: "He just brings energy. Everybody always comments on it, on how electric he can be and how he uplifts the whole squad, and even coaches. It's refreshing to play with him. He's out there getting us on correct assignments and watching him have fun throwing the ball and scoring touchdowns, it's just great."

Austin Jackson, left tackle: "He's a leader, he's strong, he loves the game and he loves to play ball. He's not scared of anything. It's kind of fun to play with a guy like that. Real important, too."

Ted Karras, center: "He's an extraordinary man. I love suiting up with him. ... I've learned so much from him and continue to do so every day."

The coaches

Brian Flores, coach: "He's a great teammate, and that goes far beyond what you guys see on the field. So that's their interactions in the locker room, outside of the building. ... On the field, you guys see his energy, his enthusiasm, his support for his teammates, his willingness to put his body on the line for his teammates.

"He brings a Pop Warner attitude where he just wants to play. ... That's infectious and other guys see that. He brings energy, he brings juice and guys feed off of it. That's been good. He's also been productive. At the end of the day, it's a production business. I think we all know that. If you can have energy and juice and be productive, [and if] guys feed off of it, then hopefully they're productive because of that same energy."

 

Chan Gailey, offensive coordinator: "I've been with Fitz a long time. We've had some great times together and we've had some bad times together. I think I have as much respect and I like him as much, if not more, than anybody I've ever coached. He's a great teammate, a great, great, great competitor, and he's a lot smarter than me.

"His leadership is unbelievable. His understanding of the game is right up there with the best. He understands not only what we're trying to do, but he understands what the defense is trying to do, and that gives any quarterback a leg up when they can do that. It wasn't necessarily that way our first year together in Buffalo, but he's gotten to the point the last six or seven years where that's been a real asset for him. His accuracy has improved since we were together last, and I think his knowledge is great. The other thing is he loves the game. He's a competitor. He wants to win, and when you have a competitor at quarterback, that goes a long way."

Edited May 5, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[RWJ]

5 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 

Fitz is a smart guy.  He wants to win.  I don't think the point is lost on him that he's going to for a change a team with arguably a fairly loaded roster.  He's talked about it in some of his interviews about lucking out coming here.

 

It's also not lost on him he's never played in the playoffs.   His goal isn't to entertain but to win.  What's entertaining about him is he will give his receivers chances to win contested balls in a way that many other QBs are afraid to do.   And he's an entertaining personality.   I think his weakness and strength is a double edge sword that carries through today.  When his team is behind and its late in the game he takes chances.  And sometimes too many chances.  IMO he needs to stay cool and be more methodical in those situatuons.

 

He's a really good locker room guy, too.  I am not saying we are set for life at QB.  Clearly we are not.  But IMO he was the best FA we could land.  And I think those that are hung up on the old narratives about Fitz and think he's full of crap when he says he is playing his best football now -- I think they likely will be pleasantly surprised.  But will see. 

 

https://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/311082/why-dolphins-players-love-ryan-fitzpatrick-hes-the-man

 

Fitzpatrick's response to the outside noise was turning in a 99.1 QBR rating -- the best total QBR of any quarterback all season and tied for 18th best since at least 2006 -- in a dominant 43-17 win against the San Francisco 49ers. It was the exclamation point on what has been a solid season so far for Fitzpatrick, who ranks fifth in total QBR through five weeks.

Dolphins players and coaches couldn't be more ecstatic, because while Tagovailoa represents the franchise's future, they all love their present in Fitzpatrick.

There isn't a more respected player in Miami's locker room than the 2005 seventh-round pick by the St. Louis Rams. In an effort to describe why Fitzpatrick, who is nicknamed FitzMagic, is so beloved in Miami, ESPN has collected what players and coaches have been saying about their leader.

The top offensive weapons

Mike Gesicki, tight end: "He's the greatest teammate I've played with. He's always having fun. Just the things that he does on the field, the energy that he brings, and the confidence that he gives out to everybody else, it's contagious. Playing with him, the thing that makes him special is that he makes the guys around him better players. If I could play with him for the next 15 years, I would do it. He's the man. I love playing with him and he's helped me out a ton, so I'll always be appreciative of him."

Preston Williams, wide receiver: "He was piped up. The whole day -- flight, really even. Fitz is always ready. He comes ready to play every week. ... Like I said, he's always got that energy out there on the offense, so we feed off that."

The mentee and franchise QB

Tagovailoa: "Fitz is just a wholesome person. The way he is out on the field is the same way he is off the field. I don't think there's really a distinct change in who he is. I mean, what you see out there is really who Fitz is. He's a coach. He's a mentor on and off the field. But he's also a very, very family-oriented person. Very loving. Very caring for guys. And he's funny, too. He's really funny."

The protectors

Jesse Davis, right tackle: "He just brings energy. Everybody always comments on it, on how electric he can be and how he uplifts the whole squad, and even coaches. It's refreshing to play with him. He's out there getting us on correct assignments and watching him have fun throwing the ball and scoring touchdowns, it's just great."

Austin Jackson, left tackle: "He's a leader, he's strong, he loves the game and he loves to play ball. He's not scared of anything. It's kind of fun to play with a guy like that. Real important, too."

Ted Karras, center: "He's an extraordinary man. I love suiting up with him. ... I've learned so much from him and continue to do so every day."

The coaches

Brian Flores, coach: "He's a great teammate, and that goes far beyond what you guys see on the field. So that's their interactions in the locker room, outside of the building. ... On the field, you guys see his energy, his enthusiasm, his support for his teammates, his willingness to put his body on the line for his teammates.

"He brings a Pop Warner attitude where he just wants to play. ... That's infectious and other guys see that. He brings energy, he brings juice and guys feed off of it. That's been good. He's also been productive. At the end of the day, it's a production business. I think we all know that. If you can have energy and juice and be productive, [and if] guys feed off of it, then hopefully they're productive because of that same energy."

 

Chan Gailey, offensive coordinator: "I've been with Fitz a long time. We've had some great times together and we've had some bad times together. I think I have as much respect and I like him as much, if not more, than anybody I've ever coached. He's a great teammate, a great, great, great competitor, and he's a lot smarter than me.

"His leadership is unbelievable. His understanding of the game is right up there with the best. He understands not only what we're trying to do, but he understands what the defense is trying to do, and that gives any quarterback a leg up when they can do that. It wasn't necessarily that way our first year together in Buffalo, but he's gotten to the point the last six or seven years where that's been a real asset for him. His accuracy has improved since we were together last, and I think his knowledge is great. The other thing is he loves the game. He's a competitor. He wants to win, and when you have a competitor at quarterback, that goes a long way."

This is why I want Fitz around when we eventually draft our franchise QB.

[Skinsinparadise]

7 minutes ago, RWJ said:

This is why I want Fitz around when we eventually draft our franchise QB.

 

I am not among the Heinicke Hive because of concern of his durability.  But if he can figure out how to develop his body (if its possible) where he can improve his durability -- he's an interesting dude in the context of Fitz because they share that put everything on the line including their body attitude when they play.  Both are risk takers. 

[PartyPosse]

21 minutes ago, mistertim said:

 

Rodgers probably doesn't want to play here. Technically that doesn't matter since his contract doesn't have a no-trade clause...but Rodgers is the kind of douche who would tell a team that if he's traded to them he'll refuse to play.

 

He isn't coming here.

I honestly don't know why he wouldn't. He seems like he only cares about winning. 

[RawRebel]

This WFT has to be the most talented Fitzpatrick has ever played with. 

[Koolblue13]

5 hours ago, jsharrin55 said:

 

https://www.nfl.com/news/qb-index-ranking-the-59-starting-quarterbacks-of-the-2020-nfl-season

 

I expect him to do better than Smith/Allen/Haskins were between 2019 and 2020.  I think the evidence for that is there.  Yes it's a low bar, but what do you think people are expecting?

Allen had a fantastic 20 minutes last year. I don't know what you were watching. 

[Skinsinparadise]

Belongs more in the QB thread but I'll put it here too since Rodgers is being discussed. Mcginn's sources are usually solid.

 

 

[mistertim]

16 minutes ago, PartyPosse said:

I honestly don't know why he wouldn't. He seems like he only cares about winning. 

 

GB is winning. He doesn't like the FO and he seems to want more of a say in their personnel decisions. Sort of like Wilson in SEA from what I can tell. The article above that @Skinsinparadisejust posted notes that as well...that he saw how TB basically catered to Brady when it came to personnel stuff. 

 

I've also read that he'd prefer somewhere out West...SF or Denver. I just don't see us as a likely landing spot at all.

 

Plus, nobody is going to get Rodgers for a bargain. He's going to be at minimum two 1st round picks and more. 

[London Kev]

To be honest, I didn't really want us to sign Fitz at first due to his sometimes erratic play. After looking deeper into his form over the last two years and putting it into some context regarding what players he had around him, I'm a lot more comfortable with the choice.

 

I've even starting to convince myself that if he can get into a rhythm with our speedy receivers that we could have a real exciting offense this year, (I've also just realised that rhythm hasn't got any vowels in it 🤯).

 

It's a big no for me regarding Rodgers and I don't see me changing my mind on him. Three firsts plus is far too expensive even for a QB as good as he is.

[PartyPosse]

11 minutes ago, mistertim said:

 

GB is winning. He doesn't like the FO and he seems to want more of a say in their personnel decisions. Sort of like Wilson in SEA from what I can tell. The article above that @Skinsinparadisejust posted notes that as well...that he saw how TB basically catered to Brady when it came to personnel stuff. 

 

I've also read that he'd prefer somewhere out West...SF or Denver. I just don't see us as a likely landing spot at all.

 

Plus, nobody is going to get Rodgers for a bargain. He's going to be at minimum two 1st round picks and more. 

GB is not winning. Rodgers is winning and The rest of the team is just holding on for dear life. This isn’t a good football team and he’s never been given help. At a certain point, catering to the guy who has carried this team forever isn’t a Terrible thing. Bucs catered to Brady? Guess what? The dude is one of the best ever and had 7 rings. If he has answers then I’m damn sure listening, but most GMs have egos so high that they go out of their way to ignore the requests. 
 

And until Aaron comes out and says he’ll only go out west then I’ll reserve judgment on that aspect. Of course every player will have their preferences but that’s not saying the player will out and out refuse to play anywhere else.

[Kelvin Bryant]

1 hour ago, PartyPosse said:

I’m gonna say it. I think Rodgers is the starting QB for the team in week 1. I think GB blew their best chance at a haul the same way we did with Trent. And now that a majority of teams found their QBs GBs trade options are limited.

I will bet you a shiny new quarter that he isn't.

[clskinsfan]

22 minutes ago, mistertim said:

 

GB is winning. He doesn't like the FO and he seems to want more of a say in their personnel decisions. Sort of like Wilson in SEA from what I can tell. The article above that @Skinsinparadisejust posted notes that as well...that he saw how TB basically catered to Brady when it came to personnel stuff. 

 

I've also read that he'd prefer somewhere out West...SF or Denver. I just don't see us as a likely landing spot at all.

 

Plus, nobody is going to get Rodgers for a bargain. He's going to be at minimum two 1st round picks and more. 

Tampa definitely catered to Brady. Coddled him to death. And you know what? They won the ****ing Super Bowl. We are Aaron Rodgers away from being a legit SB contender. If we have to cater to him to win the Super Bowl I am all in. I am sick of the mediocrity or just outright sucking ass. 

[mistertim]

18 minutes ago, PartyPosse said:

GB is not winning. Rodgers is winning and The rest of the team is just holding on for dear life. This isn’t a good football team and he’s never been given help. At a certain point, catering to the guy who has carried this team forever isn’t a Terrible thing. Bucs catered to Brady? Guess what? The dude is one of the best ever and had 7 rings. If he has answers then I’m damn sure listening, but most GMs have egos so high that they go out of their way to ignore the requests. 
 

And until Aaron comes out and says he’ll only go out west then I’ll reserve judgment on that aspect. Of course every player will have their preferences but that’s not saying the player will out and out refuse to play anywhere else.

 

*shrug*   

 

I see about a 1% chance of it, assuming they agree to trade him...which they may not. They might just force him to sit out or retire. I certainly wouldn't hold my breath. We're just not going to be a popular landing spot right now for elite guys. From most of the reports, neither Wilson nor Watson had us on their list of teams they'd agree to be traded to. SF and Denver seem to be popular, Miami somewhat as well. 

 

Not to mention that GB will probably refuse to trade him within the NFC. And even if they did, other teams have much more draft capital than us. NYG and Eagles both have 2 1st round picks next draft and are quite possibly going to be in the market. I'd certainly take Aaron Rodgers over Daniel Jones or Jalen Hurts.

 

9 minutes ago, clskinsfan said:

Tampa definitely catered to Brady. Coddled him to death. And you know what? They won the ****ing Super Bowl. We are Aaron Rodgers away from being a legit SB contender. If we have to cater to him to win the Super Bowl I am all in. I am sick of the mediocrity or just outright sucking ass. 

 

So am I, but IMO Aaron Rodgers coming here is a complete pipe dream. So I'm not going to really waste time dreaming about it. It was a pipe dream with Watson and Wilson as well.

Edited May 5, 2021 by mistertim

[PartyPosse]

18 minutes ago, clskinsfan said:

Tampa definitely catered to Brady. Coddled him to death. And you know what? They won the ****ing Super Bowl. We are Aaron Rodgers away from being a legit SB contender. If we have to cater to him to win the Super Bowl I am all in. I am sick of the mediocrity or just outright sucking ass. 

Everyone is all for wooing some Third string LB in free agency but the idea of catering to an MVP QB is seen as weak. I don’t get it.

[dyst]

1 hour ago, RawRebel said:

This WFT has to be the most talented Fitzpatrick has ever played with. 

Miami was pretty talented last year. They had 10 wins we only had 7

[mistertim]

11 minutes ago, PartyPosse said:

Everyone is all for wooing some Third string LB in free agency but the idea of catering to an MVP QB is seen as weak. I don’t get it.

 

I never said I'd be against "wooing" some potentially elite QB. I just noted that not having as much say in personnel decision making is apparently one of the reasons Rodgers is disgruntled.

 

I'm fine if we try to woo Rodgers. But IMO we'd be more successful at wooing thin air. I see almost zero chance he ends up here. Far more likely that he'll either 1) not be traded and made to play, sit or retire or 2) get traded to an AFC team.

 

As I noted, even if they were to flip on that and decide to trade within the NFC, there are teams with much more draft capital than us.

 

It ain't gonna happen.

[Silvernon]

20 minutes ago, dyst said:

Miami was pretty talented last year. They had 10 wins we only had 7

No. This is a better team than Miami. 

 

I love me some Gesicki (natural hands), but it's not close for me. 

[Skinsinparadise]

2 hours ago, wit33 said:

I believe the Turner scheme is going to be a big help to him reaching 2 or even 3 to 1 TD/INT ratio. 

 

Agree. I also think this is a good supporting cast compared to what he had in Miami.  Terry I believe will be better than any receiver he's had in Miami.  Devante Paker didn't explode into Fitz arrived.  Our O line is much better.  Ryan likes smart receivers who follow their assignments well -- that would fit Terry and Fitz's old friend Humphries.  He has Samuel to dump the ball off to in the flat.  Both Terry and Dyami are good with contested catches.

 

I do like Gesicki over Logan Thomas.   But I don't think the two TE's are a mile off of each other.   Gibson is better than the RBs Miami had.

 

 

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-washington-football-team-sign-ryan-fitzpatrick-terry-mclaurin-2021-free-agency

The entire quarterback room has combined for just 38 big-time throws over McLaurin's two seasons in Washington. The top five quarterbacks in the league had more big-time throws than that in 2020 alone — and that doesn't even include the ones they added in the playoffs.

 

Enter Ryan “Fitzmagic” Fitzpatrick, the most YOLO-inspired quarterback of modern memory.

Fitzpatrick is 38 years old and has never had the best physical tools or arm strength in the league. He will never be a top-five quarterback or an All-Pro at the position, but he will put the ball in the air and give his receivers a chance to make a play.

 

Fitzpatrick has always had this tendency. Given his physical limitations, perhaps he realized that the only chance he has at being a high-end starter is to rely on the quality of the receivers at the other end of his passes. His season with the New York Jets in 2015 when he had Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker to throw to was the best statistical season of his career, but it also yielded 26 touchdowns and 2,529 yards from Marshall and Decker combined.

Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. Past Washington Football Team QBs: PFF grade and rank since 2019 (among QBs with 250 or more dropbacks)

QB	PFF Grade	Rank
Ryan Fitzpatrick	76.0	18th of 44
Alex Smith	66.9	29th of 44
Dwayne Haskins	56.6	41st of 44
Kyle Allen	53.4	43rd of 44
Case Keenum	54.9	42nd of 44

 

DeVante Parker had been underachieving in Miami until Fitzpatrick entered the lineup in 2019. Then he had a breakout season in which he ranked fourth in the league in receiving yards while finishing with nine touchdowns. Both Parker (8th) and fellow Miami receiver Preston Williams (3rd) ranked in the top 10 in terms of contested-target percentage, showing Fitzpatrick's willingness to let them go up and make plays.

Not only does Fitzpatrick know that those 50-50 shots are an inevitable part of the game, but he also embraces it. Last season, after he had been benched for Tua Tagovailoa and then put back into the game after Tua had struggled, he was caught on camera coaching the young rookie up on the sideline and explaining that sometimes quarterbacks have to throw a contested ball. His logic was simple: sometimes quarterbacks aren't going to have all day to get through a progression to find somebody who is as open as they would like them to be.

This is certainly true generally in the NFL, but Fitzpatrick has probably always been more unhesitant to pull that trigger than other passers. It's not always great for his stats or even the team, but it will certainly give a boost to a wide receiver’s best friend — opportunity.

McLaurin has seen 219 targets since he came into the league, 21st among all receivers over that time, but he has been almost the only viable target in Washington. He trails Allen Robinson II, who can make a similar claim, by more than 80 targets.

Fitzpatrick coming on board should generate a rapid increase in McLaurin’s target volume. And it will only get higher if Fitzpatrick can provide enough of an upgrade at quarterback to allow the team to sustain some more drives and be more efficient on offense.

Fitzpatrick has been quietly playing the best football of his career over the last three years, yet he is only ever seen as a bridge to a new young quarterback. He ranks 15th among 42 qualifying passers in PFF passing grade over those three seasons, making him a slightly above-average passer in any given season.

 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[wit33]

1 hour ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 

Fitz is a smart guy.  He wants to win.  I don't think the point is lost on him that he's going to for a change a team with arguably a fairly loaded roster.  He's talked about it in some of his interviews about lucking out coming here.

 

It's also not lost on him he's never played in the playoffs.   His goal isn't to entertain but to win.  What's entertaining about him is he will give his receivers chances to win contested balls in a way that many other QBs are afraid to do.   And he's an entertaining personality.   I think his weakness and strength is a double edge sword that carries through today.  When his team is behind and its late in the game he takes chances.  And sometimes too many chances.  IMO he needs to stay cool and be more methodical in those situatuons.

 

He's a really good locker room guy, too.  I am not saying we are set for life at QB.  Clearly we are not.  But IMO he was the best FA we could land.  And I think those that are hung up on the old narratives about Fitz and think he's full of crap when he says he is playing his best football now -- I think they likely will be pleasantly surprised.  But will see. 

 

https://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/311082/why-dolphins-players-love-ryan-fitzpatrick-hes-the-man

 

Fitzpatrick's response to the outside noise was turning in a 99.1 QBR rating -- the best total QBR of any quarterback all season and tied for 18th best since at least 2006 -- in a dominant 43-17 win against the San Francisco 49ers. It was the exclamation point on what has been a solid season so far for Fitzpatrick, who ranks fifth in total QBR through five weeks.

Dolphins players and coaches couldn't be more ecstatic, because while Tagovailoa represents the franchise's future, they all love their present in Fitzpatrick.

There isn't a more respected player in Miami's locker room than the 2005 seventh-round pick by the St. Louis Rams. In an effort to describe why Fitzpatrick, who is nicknamed FitzMagic, is so beloved in Miami, ESPN has collected what players and coaches have been saying about their leader.

The top offensive weapons

Mike Gesicki, tight end: "He's the greatest teammate I've played with. He's always having fun. Just the things that he does on the field, the energy that he brings, and the confidence that he gives out to everybody else, it's contagious. Playing with him, the thing that makes him special is that he makes the guys around him better players. If I could play with him for the next 15 years, I would do it. He's the man. I love playing with him and he's helped me out a ton, so I'll always be appreciative of him."

Preston Williams, wide receiver: "He was piped up. The whole day -- flight, really even. Fitz is always ready. He comes ready to play every week. ... Like I said, he's always got that energy out there on the offense, so we feed off that."

The mentee and franchise QB

Tagovailoa: "Fitz is just a wholesome person. The way he is out on the field is the same way he is off the field. I don't think there's really a distinct change in who he is. I mean, what you see out there is really who Fitz is. He's a coach. He's a mentor on and off the field. But he's also a very, very family-oriented person. Very loving. Very caring for guys. And he's funny, too. He's really funny."

The protectors

Jesse Davis, right tackle: "He just brings energy. Everybody always comments on it, on how electric he can be and how he uplifts the whole squad, and even coaches. It's refreshing to play with him. He's out there getting us on correct assignments and watching him have fun throwing the ball and scoring touchdowns, it's just great."

Austin Jackson, left tackle: "He's a leader, he's strong, he loves the game and he loves to play ball. He's not scared of anything. It's kind of fun to play with a guy like that. Real important, too."

Ted Karras, center: "He's an extraordinary man. I love suiting up with him. ... I've learned so much from him and continue to do so every day."

The coaches

Brian Flores, coach: "He's a great teammate, and that goes far beyond what you guys see on the field. So that's their interactions in the locker room, outside of the building. ... On the field, you guys see his energy, his enthusiasm, his support for his teammates, his willingness to put his body on the line for his teammates.

"He brings a Pop Warner attitude where he just wants to play. ... That's infectious and other guys see that. He brings energy, he brings juice and guys feed off of it. That's been good. He's also been productive. At the end of the day, it's a production business. I think we all know that. If you can have energy and juice and be productive, [and if] guys feed off of it, then hopefully they're productive because of that same energy."

 

Chan Gailey, offensive coordinator: "I've been with Fitz a long time. We've had some great times together and we've had some bad times together. I think I have as much respect and I like him as much, if not more, than anybody I've ever coached. He's a great teammate, a great, great, great competitor, and he's a lot smarter than me.

"His leadership is unbelievable. His understanding of the game is right up there with the best. He understands not only what we're trying to do, but he understands what the defense is trying to do, and that gives any quarterback a leg up when they can do that. It wasn't necessarily that way our first year together in Buffalo, but he's gotten to the point the last six or seven years where that's been a real asset for him. His accuracy has improved since we were together last, and I think his knowledge is great. The other thing is he loves the game. He's a competitor. He wants to win, and when you have a competitor at quarterback, that goes a long way."

 

 

I don’t really think there’s much resistance or many detractors in regards to Fitz, how do you not root for a guy like that. With that said, I think there’s room for some debate on if he can QB a team with expectations. He’s always operated from an underdog position, not say this upcoming season is filled extreme expectations, but most likely the most he’s ever faced. These are the kind of nuances that I believe get overlooked with being a professional QB. We’ll see what happens. I really like the mesh of him, the weapons, and Turner system. 
 

I don’t think it’s a matter of him wanting to win in regards to his game management style, but more having to do with how he’s wired as a human being. For example, I think he’d lose his full head of hair if he were to win how Alex Smith has over the course of his career and not be able to live with himself— he’s just not wired that way.