Should Tampa Bay re-sign Ryan Fitzpatrick as their backup quarterback?
Only one quarterback in NFL history has thrown for 400 yards in three consecutive games; His name is Ryan Fitzpatrick.
This is the type of small-sampled, yet incredibly impressive statistic that most will guess the big names like Tom Brady, Drew Brees, or Aaron Rodgers just a couple years from now when asked who accomplished this feat.
That three-game stretch is the ultimate display of Fitzpatrick’s ability—the well-known and fascinating enigma dubbed “Fitzmagic.”
Few quarterbacks have the capability of captivating our imaginations in the ways that Fitzpatrick can.
His ceiling is so high that fans end up believing in him no matter how disappointing the drop-off was the last time his performances hit rock-bottom.
It is his ability to take over and win games that is exactly why he should not only be considered for the Buccaneers’ back-up quarterback spot in 2019, but also be the team’s top choice.
The criteria for a backup quarterback is very dependent on a team’s starting quarterback situation. Teams such as the Patriots, Steelers, and Saints would logically develop a young heir-apparent as their primary back-up quarterback to replace the older, legendary quarterbacks they have grown accustomed to for over a decade.
This is not the case in Tampa Bay, where Winston gives the team a very solid mixture of youth and experience, having started 54 games and attempted almost 2,000 passes before turning 25 just last month. This expands the criteria when looking for their back-up quarterbacks since they do not have to limit themselves to seeking youth and potential.
The Buccaneers are setting themselves up for immediate success with the hiring of Bruce Arians, who will lead a very talented team on the offensive side of the ball.
With the team in “win-now” mode, going with a very experienced backup quarterback would make sense.
If the team had to turn to a quarterback in the event that Winston becomes unavailable, it would be comforting to know that the keys to the offense were given to someone who has experienced virtually everything a quarterback possibly could.
The 37-year old Fitzpatrick has played for seven NFL teams since being drafted in 2005. He has been the center of quarterback controversies, contract disputes, and big-media backlash. He has played for 10 different head coaches, including new Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles for two seasons with the New York Jets.
Fitzpatrick does not fit the mold of a “game-managing” quarterback the way some other veteran backups do. Those are the type of quarterbacks who let the game play out around them and will typically allow the running game and defense to give them the best chance at winning. They shy away from risks, which could also be attributed to the condensed playbook coaches turn to in the event that their starting quarterback becomes unavailable. It seems as though many coaches prefer this strategy from their backup quarterback when called upon. This is not the way Fitzpatrick plays.
He takes risks downfield, he puts the game in his hands, and he tries his best to will his team to victory.
The Buccaneers saw this the first three weeks of 2018, and the 2-1 start to the season under his leadership may very well have been 3-0 had the ball bounced their way just one more time against the Steelers on prime-time television.
After that blazing start, Fitzpatrick saw all his success disappear immediately against a tough Bears defense in Chicago, signaling the return of Winston for the next couple games. Both quarterbacks alternated starts every couple games throughout 2018 before Winston started the last six games to close out the season.
Though the recipe for success had run out, during the time that the offense was definitively Fitzpatrick’s, he shined.
The offensive woes under both quarterbacks coincided with injuries sustained to DeSean Jackson and O.J. Howard. The offense could still move the ball freely at many times, but they struggled to maintain possession after countless turnovers killed many drives. The lack of a running game—ranked 29th in the league throughout the season—did no favors for an offense that was routinely down by multiple scores throughout the vast majority of games.
With that said, Fitzpatrick can once again be poised for success in 2019 if he is called upon. Howard will return and look to build on a very impressive, although shortened, season as a star-caliber NFL tight end.
If Jackson does not return, Chris Godwin will be able to go into the season as the starting wide receiver opposite Pro Bowler Mike Evans. Both receivers, as well as Howard, would give the offense arguably the best combination of deep threats in the game as well as big red zone targets. Fitzpatrick is a very capable deep ball passer who routinely finds his receivers downfield, which gives the Buccaneers a very explosive offense when he is at his best.
The new offense under Arians and new offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich should be similar to the philosophy of Dirk Koetter’s in the sense that there will be many chances taken downfield no matter who is behind center. If a consistent running game finds itself in Tampa, then, when Fitzpatrick is called upon, the offense will not be hamstrung by a quarterback switch. Leftwich will have the ability call plays out of the entire playbook, rather than having to condense it like many other teams have to when the backup quarterback enters the game. This is due to Fitzpatrick’s ability as a quarterback as well as his extremely rare ability to learn offenses very quickly, which is something that Koetter mentioned multiple times when Fitzpatrick was signed just a couple months before the start of the 2017 season.
Perhaps most important of all, Fitzpatrick would know his role going into the season, unlike last year when the distraction of quarterback uncertainty revolving around Winston made Fitzpatrick’s role as a starter uncertain at best. Fitzpatrick would have the understanding that he is the unquestioned backup for 2019 with no chance to win the starting job in training camp. One could imagine Fitzpatrick, being the seasoned professional that he is, would accept this role if he were to come back, and approach the game as a starter regardless of his backup status, like he has with his other six NFL teams.
One should also consider the quarterbacks who will be available in free agency this off-season as an alternative to Fitzpatrick. As of now, the best free agent quarterbacks who will most likely be looking for a backup quarterback spot are Tyrod Taylor, Josh McCown, and Brock Osweiler. None of those options are definitively better than Fitzpatrick when comparing their cumulative, as well as recent, success. Fitzpatrick had an unquestionably more successful 2018 than these three, or any of the quarterbacks available in free agency, for that matter.
Fitzpatrick would give the Buccaneers a familiar option at quarterback given that it would be his third season with the team. He is, by all accounts, a highly intelligent player who learns offenses very quickly. He is the player who can be the trustworthy, wise voice in the quarterback room when new offensive and coaching philosophies are discussed, which will be valuable to Winston, who will be adjusting to a new NFL offense for the first time in his career.
All signs point to Fitzpatrick as the right choice as the Buccaneers backup quarterback for 2019 when considering his experience, ability, and familiarity with the team. He is the consummate professional who takes every situation in stride, having gone through everything you can imagine in the NFL. He is a gutsy, risk-taking quarterback who is a perfect fit for the “no risk it, no biscuit” approach to offense that Arians and Leftwich have been preaching.
If the team chooses to bring back Fitzpatrick for another season, the offense will not miss a beat in 2019 if he happens to be called upon.
