The Buffalo Bills made a big move for the future on Tuesday, releasing starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick after two disappointing seasons with the team.
According to ESPN.com, Fitzpatrick was released to help with salary cap space as well as the fact that he has played poorly over the past two seasons. The main reason was due to a $3 million roster bonus he could receive this week and the $7.45 million in salary he had for 2013. The team now has Tavaris Jackson on the roster and could make another move, including drafting someone like Geno Smith or trading for a quarterback.
The team announced the news after free agency opened and now Fitzpatrick has a chance to start over somewhere else. The quarterback has been playing poorly since signing a six-year, $59 million contract extension last season and now he will need to find a new opportunity.
"We kept every possible option open right down to the wire, when we had to make a decision on whether to keep Ryan," general manager Buddy Nix said. "In the end, we had to do what we feel is best for our football team. And it was a difficult decision."
New head coach Doug Marrone could go after his old quarterback in Ryan Nassib, or the team could draft Geno Smith if he is available with the eighth pick. Fitzpatrick went just 20-33 as a starter and Nix revealed his plans in a prank conference call with Mark Dominik that was revealed on Tuesday, saying that the quarterback was making too much money for his quality of play.
Marrone gave support to both Fitzpatrick and Jackson, but the move signals a likely change with the Bills. Jackson has a one year deal and it is likely the team will try to find a quarterback in the draft, whether it be Nassib, Smith, or possibly Matt Barkley.
"Our focus remains on adding another quarterback to our roster, and we will continue to explore every option available to us," Nix said.
The team has had high turnover at the coach and quarterback position over the past decade, including six head coaches and nine different starters. The team also hasn't been over .500 since 2004 and it's been 13 years since sniffing the postseason.
The team went just 6-10 last year and was ranked 25th in passing, so they will want to upgrade in that area. Fitzpatrick took over the starting job in 2010 and started off well, leading the Bills to a 5-2 record before they faltered. According to ESPN.com, Fitzpatrick has had 80 touchdowns and 64 interceptions, including a career-worst 23 in 2011, through 55 games with the team.
Nassib could be an interesting option, as he proved last year he could be a big-time quarterback. Smith also could be an option for the team, as he has shown athletic ability and had a fantastic year last season, throwing just six interceptions with over 40 touchdowns. He started the season by throwing 25 touchdowns before his first pick and had West Virginia undefeated through five games.