The Facts: Fitzpatrick gave it a couple of weeks after the Jets dreadful season, thought about whether he wanted to continue to play in the NFL, and decided he was not ready to give it up. Now, at home in New Jersey, he waits for the phone to ring. "I'm working out, excited for my next opportunity," Fitzpatrick said Tuesday in his first comments since the end of the season. "Once the draft happens, the picture will become much clearer."
Diehards Line:
After getting over the disappointment of a miserable 2016 season, Fitzpatrick realized he was still all-in and wanted to give it his best shot to play his 13th season. He's gone through the first two months of free agency without an offer, which doesn't surprise him. The next wave of free agent signings will begin after teams assess what they've picked up in the April 27-29 draft. There is still a quarterback shortage and a need for a 34-year-old quarterback who can step in and play and is capable of recreating - with the right pieces around him - what he did with the Jets in 2015. He clearly won't find a job where he is the starter going into training camp, but he would be an improvement as the No. 2 for more than half the teams in the league. Expect some movement based on that fact alone.