Unsigned quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn't liked the contract offers from the New York Jets this offseason. That is unlikely to change after the events of the NFL draft.
The Jets threw a curveball into their quarterback room when they drafted former Penn State signal-caller Christian Hackenberg with the No. 51 overall pick on Friday night. Hackenberg was one of the most polarizing players in the draft and his arrival in New York raises plenty of questions.
Jets fans don't want to hear it, but general manager Mike Maccagnan said Friday night that Geno Smith would be the team's starter at the moment with Fitzpatrick "not being on the team right now." The team would love to get Fitzpatrick back, but feelings could get in the way.
The possibility of Smith staying No. 1, which felt impossible heading into the offseason, is only going up. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Fitzpatrick will likely be forced to sign a one-year contract if he wants to return to the Jets, rather than a multi-year deal. Considering how stagnant negotiations have been thus far, it is anyone's guess how Fitzpatrick will react to this latest news.
The Jets front office has played hardball all offseason, setting a value on Fitzpatrick and not deviating from it. Now the Jets have another quarterback to groom, albeit one with scattershot accuracy who is coming off two rough seasons at Penn State. Hackenberg was not drafted to start as a rookie. Smith had a full offseason in offensive coordinator Chan Gailey's system and was set to be the starter last year before that fateful punch. It's up to Fitzpatrick now whether Geno enters training camp again as a presumptive starter.
Here's what else we learned on Day 2 of the draft:
- Back in December, draftniks wouldn't have been surprised that Jaylon Smith and Myles Jack were taken two picks apart in the NFL draft. They just would have been expected to go in the top five.
By Friday night, it was stunning to see Smith and Jack go with the No. 34 and No. 36 picks to the Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars, respectively. Smith was the real stunner. He isn't even expected to play football in 2016 as he recovers from a devastating knee injury, and there have been questions about whether Smith can even have a productive NFL career.
The Cowboys have a unique read on Smith's ability to recover, as their team doctor performed his surgery, Rapoport reported. It was especially surprising after the reports Thursday that the Cowboys tried to trade back into Round 1 for quarterback Paxton Lynch. That would have been a pick looking to Dallas' future, and this pick is doing the same. Only decision makers with true job security like Jerry Jones could take such a big risk on a great player that could have been taken No. 1 overall if not for injuries.
- The Jaguars continue to load up on top-shelf talent after adding cornerback Jalen Ramsey with the No. 5 overall pick on Thursday. Taking Jack, a UCLA linebacker with huge injury questions, was the type of risk-reward move that smart teams make. Jack was once a consideration for Jacksonville's first round pick. His skill set is exactly what teams are looking for in 2016, as he can handle any assignment sent his way. Jacksonville continued its assault on improving their defense with third-round pick Yannick Ngakoue from Maryland.
- Tennessee had four picks on Friday, so perhaps the Titans felt like they had the luxury to take some duplicative pieces. Drafting running back Alabama running back Derrick Henry was surprising because he's so similar to recent trade acquisition DeMarco Murray. Henry is a one-cut back who is not going to make you miss or be a major asset on third downs. Titans coach Mike Mularkey is all about that smashmouth life.
- The Patriots didn't make their first pick until No. 60 overall on Friday, but they still made plenty of noise. Slot cornerback Cyrus Jones and guard/tackle Joe Thuney have the typical position flexibility of a Patriots pick. N.C. State quarterback Jacoby Brissett, taken with a late third-round pick, was the bigger surprise. New England's thin quarterback roster needed a pickup and Brissett is currently slated to be the team's Week 1 backup to Jimmy Garoppolo. (Look for the Patriots to also add a veteran eventually.)
Meanwhile, the recently re-suspended Patriots quarterback was also in the news Friday night because former teammate Kevin Faulk gave him a memorable shout out.
- The Bucs made a strong statement by giving up an extra fourth-round pick to trade up 15 spots and grab Florida State kicker Roberto Aguayo late in the second round. He is the best kicking prospect to come out of college in a while, and he'll have to play that way to live up to that picks bounty.
- The vanilla Texans offense looks a whole lot faster after adding receiver Will Fuller in the first round followed by Ohio State quarterback turned wideout Braxton Miller in the third round. DeAndre Hopkins, not to mention Texans fans, approve:
